Chamber calls for 'smarter' parking strategies

The Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has called for smarter strategies to solve the ever increasing parking problems at the Woy Woy interchange.

"The Chamber welcomes the Central Coast Council's region-wide parking strategy but is keen to see smarter options put in place rather than simply adding more levels to the Woy Woy multi-deck car park or using up even more commercial land for at-grade car parking," said Chamber president Mr Matthew Wales.

"You will never meet the latent demand for car parking at Woy Woy, so we have to look to other strategies to encourage commuters to leave their cars at home," Mr Wales said.

"These strategies should include the expansion of the On Demand Transport Service being trialled by the NSW State Government, improving the existing bus services between our town centres, improving the existing kiss-n-ride facilities and encouraging carpooling," said Mr Wales.

"We are very lucky here on the Peninsula in that we have a very efficient grid system of roads, level suburban areas, relatively good public transport links and being only an hour and half from the Sydney CBD.

"But those advantages also mean that people want to live here and commute to the city while enjoying our unique lifestyle," he said.

"And compounding the problem are those who are driving their cars to Woy Woy from as far afield as Kincumber, MacMasters and Copacabana rather than cope with the congestion at Gosford rail station.

"We are a better option which unfortunately is adding to the problem locally.

"'By using local bus services and On Demand Transport more efficiently, our road system does have the capacity to cope with the demand.

"Simply adding more car parking spaces is not a smart solution.

"Fundamentally, we have to examine the basic issue of why 8000 people a day commute from Woy Woy rail station to the Sydney metro area.

"This comes down to the lack of local jobs and job opportunities.

"The Chamber believes that Central Coast Council and the NSW State Government should be doing more to promote employment opportunities on the Central Coast so that people don't have to commute into Sydney in the first place.

"These strategies should include the revitalisation of the Woy Woy commercial centre, improving planning controls to encourage commercial redevelopment and boosting incentives for residential accommodation close to the Woy Woy rail station.

"Sadly, none of these initiatives have been taken up by either the Council or the State Government at a time when revitalisation processes are so important.

"By all means review your parking strategies but address the fundamental reason why you have the problem in the first place."

SOURCE:

Media release, 21 Nov 2018

Matthew Wales, Peninsula Chamber of Commerce