Call for improved parking in Trafalgar

A shortage of all-day parking options in Trafalgar has forced workers to chance parking fines.

Warragul resident Lina Cameron received a fine after parking in a two-hour limit space whilst working in Trafalgar. She says there was no all-day parking option.

“We’ve got no choice but to park there; we have nowhere else, nowhere to park. It’s just ridiculous. What am I meant to do; I have to work?”

Trafalgar Chamber of Commerce president Scott Draper said lack of long-term parking had recently become an issue and the group was liaising with Baw Baw Shire Council to have a parking survey undertaken.

Mr Draper said a parking survey was carried out every five years in Trafalgar. However, he believed parking needs had significantly changed since 2016 and the next survey needs to be moved forward.

“Things have just changed too much in that period of time,” he said.

As it stands, Mr Draper said there was one small grid of some 12 to 15 all-day parking spaces behind the retail precinct. These are quickly filled each day.

In addition, he said there was some all-day parking spaces by the post office as well as onstreet parking in Kitchener St and McCrorey St which have no line markings.

“We believe painting lines on the road would make a big difference,” said Mr Draper.

When asked why demand for longer term parking had increased, Mr Draper was unsure.

He said the number of businesses in Trafalgar hadn’t significantly changed but perhaps more employees were travelling from outside the town.

Baw Baw Shire Council community infrastructure director Cohen Van der Velde said a Trafalgar parking review was not amongst council priorities for the next financial year as set out in the council budget and Long Term Infrastructure Plan.

However, works to install car parking bay lines on McCrorey St are included in the 2019/20 budget.

“Similar works for Kitchener Street will be investigated at a future time following monitoring of parking usage on McCrorey St,” said Mr Van der Velde. “There are 18 all-day parking spaces in the off-street car park in McCrorey St. Additionally, the off-street car park in Depot Lane includes 39 all-day parking spaces.”

It was a bad week for Ms Cameron who received three parking fines in six days.

In addition to the Trafalgar fine, Ms Cameron received two further fines for double parking whilst carrying out the school drop off at Warragul North Primary School.

She said about eight carparks were recently lost after pedestrian crossing installations, and urged something to be done for parents dropping off and picking up students as well as for the safety of children.

Ms Cameron said parents were forced to drive in circles or park two streets away due to the school having more than 600 students but little parking.

“It’s beyond a joke,” she said. “Every street is totally full.”