A whole-of-city approach to parking will be implemented by Ipswich City Council to deliver better outcomes for all residents and businesses.
Replacing the 13-year-old parking strategy that currently governs Ipswich Central, the new iGO Parking Action Plan will manage parking demand city-wide for the next 10 years.
Infrastructure, Planning and Assets Committee Chairperson Councillor Andrew Antoniolli said council began updating the plan two years ago with extensive community consultation to better understand what residents need from council-managed on-street and off-street parking.
“A key foundation of the new plan is to take a ‘demand management approach’ to parking. This is the acknowledgement that existing car parking supply should be optimised before new car parking supply is created,” Cr Antoniolli said.
“The Plan also attempts to balance the increasingly diverse needs of both businesses and residents who may need short or long stay parking, access to more loading zones, disability spaces, or even more electric vehicle charging stations and bicycle parking.
“Parking in Ipswich is always in high demand, and the new Parking Action Plan adopted by council on Thursday will allow us to better balance the needs of all residents and businesses.
“This new Parking Action Plan establishes parking precincts across busy city hubs within Ipswich Central and the Springfield Town Centre.”
Cr Antoniolli said some of the other key updates included:
- Updating the 2011 Ipswich Central parking management framework and precincts
- A new parking management framework and precincts for Springfield Central
- School parking updates
- Incorporating new contemporary kerbside uses such as micro-mobility, electric vehicle parking and charging, and broader street uses such as parklets and outdoor dining.
Cr Antoniolli said making better use of existing kerbside parking was critical to avoid the escalating cost of constructing new off-street car parking facilities, which can cost upwards of $71,000 per car parking space.
“The new iGO Parking Action Plan will improve parking access and outcomes for residents,” Cr Antoniolli said.
“As an example, we often hear from the community about how difficult it is to find appropriate parking around the Ipswich Hospital and health precinct.
“This new approach will work to deliver better outcomes for all residents needing on-street parking to access hospital and healthcare services, noting the Queensland Government is also developing a new 900-bay off-street parking facility.”
Cr Antoniolli said the plan would continue use of existing long-term parking around the city and encourage better use of the existing council car parking building in the Nicholas Street Precinct, which included free parking for the first three hours.
“Our plan is all about embracing new technologies to improve parking efficiency, managing parking to support economic vitality and sustainable transport use,” Cr Antoniolli said.
“From here, council will now develop specific precinct plans to manage areas experiencing high parking demand, according to the management framework laid out in the iGO Parking Action Plan.
“Ipswich is booming, and this new parking plan will help ensure we are prepared for increased tourism, business and leisure activity well into the future.”
The new iGO Parking Action Plan can be read here.
