PARKING MAD SUBURB

Council may regulate parking in residential zone

THREE-HOUR parking limits are set to be introduced in a northern Gold Coast suburb’s residential zone to stop workers from using their quiet streets as a carpark.

The drastic move is one of several being considered by the Gold Coast City Council after a spike in complaints from locals after the Department of Education and Training last year moved its regional office to a new Hope Island Rd complex.

THREE-HOUR parking limits are set to be introduced in a northern Gold Coast suburb’s residential zone to stop workers from using their quiet streets as a carpark.

The drastic move is one of several being considered by the Gold Coast City Council after a spike in complaints.

The Department of Education and Training last year moved its regional office to a Hope Island Road complex.

But with more people than anticipated working in the building, the number of cars parking in nearby streets has sparked fury from locals and forced council to consider drastic options around Monterey Keys Drive.

Area Cr William OwenJones said the decisions would be made in coming weeks.

“There have been a lot of complaints because of the lack of parking,” he said.

“As a result we are looking at potentially introducing three-hour parking limits in certain sections,” he said. “It is fair to say it was not imagined there would be this many people parking here.

“I have met with city infrastructure staff and they will come back to us with a proposal for increased line-markings as well.”

Streets likely to be affected are Monterey Keys Drive to Arlene Park, Creekwood Place, Creekview Street, Greenwood Court and Lakewood Court.

Improved line marking and signage were introduced on Monterey Keys Drive in July to help regulate and formalise the parking of vehicles.

Locals have also complained to council about an increase in cars speeding through the suburban streets.

The Department has more than 220 staff in the building but just 54 parking spaces.

Throughout 2017 they had informal access to basement parking but it was withdrawn by the property’s owner last month.

A parking time limit in areas around the building was also introduced by the building’s owner.

The Department of Education has been asked by council to explore with Queensland Rail the possibility of gaining access to the ‘park and ride’ car parking facility constructed under the heavy rail bridges for the Commonwealth Games

Cr Owen-Jones has ap- proached Broadwater MP David Crisafulli to help resolve the issue.

Mr Crisafulli said the State Government needed to develop an alternative plan to allow workers to park.

“This is a real issue which is the result of some pretty poor planning and something must be done,” he said.

“The bigger issue is that there are a heap of people who through no fault of their own have nowhere to park and so people who bought into that residential area now have cars outside their house, through no fault of their own.”