Cutting cars for the community

Waverley Council will overhaul the existing parking system at Bronte Cutting Car Park, if proposed changes are implemented.

Public submissions are open until Friday April 12, with the aim of achieving a faster parking experience for visitors and reducing the amount of residential parking in Bronte.

Council has outlined four options for residents: four-hour parking meters both including and excluding beach permit holders, an unlimited ‘pay by hour’ parking meter system and a manned booth system without time restrictions on parking.

Councillor Paula Masselos has called for a fair consultation process and for Council to look beyond parking meters as a solution, especially with fears over potential meter-tampering and vandalism. She said one alternative is for the existing Cutting Park kiosk to be used as an information booth helping to guide visitors to the area.

“People have been saying they prefer to have a parking kiosk with an attendant because it’s not only about parking. There are a lot of tourists there or people who come to the area to do the [Bondi to Bronte] Walk and look for information. It could also become an information booth selling basic services [to the community],” said Ms Masselos.

Currently, the car park is operated by a manned booth system with patrons entering via a boom gate. Upon entering, patrons must display their permit to the duty officer and pay a flat rate of $15 dollars, regardless of the length of stay. With an absence of credit card facilities, the existing infrastructure is alleged to be old, unreliable and in need of replacing – according to a community brochure released by Waverley Council last December.

Councillor Andrew Cusack said improving the operation of the Bronte Cutting Car Park had been a priority of Waverley Council since 2011 when Council began consultation and identifying options for improving the current system. He said the consultations allow Council an opportunity to review the current operations and help provide an improved parking service for residents, local business owners and visitors alike.

“Council is aware that the car park has not been operating efficiently for some time due to outdated equipment and infrastructure,” said Mr Cusack. “It has become more expensive to run the car park in its current state, requiring Council to redirect resources from other areas to the Bronte Cutting car park.”

Ms Masselos was also concerned over the long-term impacts the mooted Bronte RSL development may have on the area.

“At the last meeting, the Liberal majority passed a proposal for shops of 400 square metres in the whole of the [Bronte] neighbourhood centre area … [meaning] parking will burden the impact and people may look to the Cutting for [spots],” she said. “I think residents will be inconvenienced as well. Their quality of life, safety and the aggravation the traffic would create are something they are not looking forward to.”