In a win for St Albans residents, Brimbank council has backed away from plans to restrict parking near Keilor Plains train station.
A letter circulated to residents of Jane Avenue, Rafter Drive and Roche Street says the council’s proposal to install two-hour parking limits between 9am and 6pm on weekends in their streets did not get majority support.
Council’s engineering services manager Adrian Ashford says, given feedback from residents, the parking restrictions would not go ahead.
“I write to advise that engineering services did not receive a clear majority of responses in favour of the proposal to install parking restrictions in these streets,” Mr Ashford wrote.
In December,
Star Weekly reported the proposed restrictions would force residents to vie for the same parking spots as train commuters using Keilor Plains station.
Restrictions were flagged for the south side of Rafter Drive (between Newcombe Drive and Regan Street), the north and east sides of Jane Avenue (between Newcombe and Rafter drives), and the south side of Roche Street (between Newcombe Drive and Jane Avenue). The proposal followed complaints about parking congestion in the area.
However, two-hour parking limits will go into the “critical areas” of Jane Avenue and Regan Street, “to improve traffic flow and congestion issues that have been identified by affected residents,” Mr Ashford’s letter says.
Newcombe Drive resident Laura Rovetto is relieved the council listened to residents’ concerns.
“It’s great the council does take people’s feedback on board,” she says.
Ms Newcombe says she hopes the council issues parking permits for residents, saying the issue is only going to worsen.
Late last year, Brimbank council floated the idea of parking limits in Rafter and Newcombe drives and Jane Avenue after train commuters took over both sides of the streets.
The limits aim to discourage parking on one side of the road to free up spaces for residents. The same restrictions are in place in side streets on the east side of Keilor Downs station.
In April last year, the state government announced it would add 220 parking spots to Keilor Plain’s station’s car park, news that was welcomed by commuters
who have been fined by the council for parking on nature strips.
