THE CITY OF GREATER GEELONG
PARKING AND KERBSIDE MANAGEMENT SUMMARY DRAFT INTEGRATED TRANSPORT STRATEGY
PARKING AND KERBSIDE MANAGEMENT THE OUTCOME WE SEEK The City will manage parking and kerbside space as valuable public assets. These spaces must support access, local businesses, public transport and freight. They should also be managed in a way that keeps key places attractive. Parking will remain available for the people and journeys that need it. At the same time, better management, clearer information and more sustainable travel options will reduce unnecessary car trips and limit the need for additional spaces.
WHY IT MATTERS Parking helps people reach homes, workplaces, health care, shops, community facilities and local businesses. It matters particularly to people with disability, service and delivery workers, visitors from areas with limited transport choices, and anyone making an essential or time-sensitive journey. But kerbside space is limited. It must accommodate many competing needs, including: Accessible parking. Loading and deliveries. Bus stops and public transport operations. Passenger pick-up and drop-off. Taxis and rideshare services.
Bicycle and scooter parking. Electric vehicle charging. Trees, drainage and public space. Outdoor dining and local business activity
Adding more parking everywhere can encourage extra car trips, worsen congestion and consume land that could otherwise support homes, businesses or public spaces. New parking facilities also cost a great deal to build, especially when they require multistorey or other structured designs. We should use existing spaces more efficiently before building more. Parking needs also change by location, user and time of day. Busy centres need convenient short -stay spaces with regular turnover, while longer-stay parking can often sit outside the areas experiencing the greatest demand. Different places require different solutions. Residential neighbourhoods, coastal towns, railway stations, hospitals and activity centres each face their own access and parking pressures. Parking management cannot operate in isolation. The City must coordinate it with better public transport and safer options for walking and riding, then introduce stronger controls gradually as practical alternatives become available.
WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE Greater Geelong will manage parking and kerbside space precinct by precinct, using evidence to respond to local conditions. A Greater Geelong Parking Management Policy will guide this work across the municipality. The City will tailor parking controls to local land uses, demand and access needs instead of applying one approach everywhere. Reliable data on occupancy and turnover for different areas of Greater Geelong will guide changes to time limits, prices, permits and allocations for different users as part of ongoing Movement and Place assessments. The future approach will include: Priority for safety, access for people with disability, public transport, loading and essential services. Convenient short-stay parking in commercial areas and activity centres. Longer-stay parking outside the most constrained locations. Better use of existing off-street and underused spaces. Shared parking between land uses that experience demand at different times. Clear information that helps people find suitable parking. Kerbside arrangements that can change by location or time of day. Parking requirements that reflect local access to sustainable transport. Gradual reuse of parking spaces when demand falls or more valuable uses emerge. In high-demand precincts, the City will aim to keep enough spaces available so drivers can find parking without circling excessively. If availability remains consistently low, we may strengthen controls. Where many spaces regularly sit empty, we may simplify or relax controls. The City will consider building new parking facilities only after assessing opportunities to manage existing spaces better, share the available supply and improve alternative transport options. Precinct or peripheral parking may suit some locations. It can consolidate demand for longer stays, if walking routes, public transport or shuttle services connect the parking area with major destinations.
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Figure 10 - Central Geelong Framework Plan Street hierarchy and active transport routes
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SECURE
MANAGE
ENABLE
Reinvest parking revenue in local
Price and regulate parking according to
Prioritise accessible parking, loading
access improvements.
demand.
and bus stops.
Use developer contributions
Allocate kerb space between competing
Provide bicycle, car-share and
strategically.
users.
micromobility space.
Seek partners for charging and shared-
Monitor occupancy, turnover and
Use parking policy to support lower car
mobility facilities.
compliance.
ownership and use.
Now
As We Grow
As Demand Matures
Build reliable data on parking supply, occupancy and turnover while prioritising essential access.
Manage kerbside space to support accessible parking, loading, public transport and short-stay access.
Repurpose road and kerbside space over time when other uses provide greater public value than parking.
capacity.
Use existing parking more efficiently before building additional spaces.
Strengthen time limits, pricing and allocations for different users where demand consistently approaches
Set parking requirements that reflect local conditions and expand the shared
Reduce reliance on parking in highly accessible centres and corridors as
use of existing spaces.
other transport options mature.
Adjust kerbside allocations more flexibly
Manage the kerb as flexible public
between parking, loading, public transport, active travel and public-place
space, directing it towards the uses that provide the greatest value as needs
functions.
change.
Indicators Parking occupancy Turnover Parking circulation time Kerb allocation Parking supply per resident/job Sustainable accessibility versus parking provision Revenue reinvestment
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