Drouin, Yarragon, Trafalgar get new parking rules

Changes to parking restrictions in Drouin, Yarragon and Trafalgar are on the cards following community consultation and Council's adoption of study recommendations.

Beginning in April 2022, Baw Baw Shire Council began comprehensive parking studies in Drouin, Yarragon and Trafalgar to better understand the parking habits of residents and visitors, and to identify any common issues or concerns. In addition to online surveys promoted in the local newspapers, on local radio and via social media, in-person feedback sessions were held in each town to offer community members the opportunity to discuss the parking studies, ask questions and provide feedback directly to the project team.

Over the same period, consultants HDS Australia undertook data collection throughout all three towns to quantify parking usage and identify areas of concern and potential improvement.

Using all the input gathered, HDS compiled draft reports which included recommended changes to parking in Drouin, Yarragon and Trafalgar. The draft reports were presented to Council and put on public exhibition for further community feedback throughout October and November 2022.

Following that final community feedback, the reports and the recommendations below have now been finalised and adopted by Council for implementation.

Drouin recommendations

1. Increase parking enforcement and develop new initiatives and community education to ensure best parking practices.
2. Reduce the 2-hour parking along Princes Way between Bank Place and Sinclair Street to 1 hour to increase turnover.
3. Improve Woolworths carpark by increasing the widths of the 90-degree parking spaces.
4. Turn Commercial Place into a one-way traffic road only from east to west but allow two-way traffic from Hope Street to the Woolworths carpark.
5. Convert 36 of 72 off-street parking at the Drouin Skatepark to 4-hour spaces, and the four 2-hour spaces to 2 disabled bays.
6. Convert parking on Young Street service road between Woolworths access and Hope Street to 3-hour parking.
7. Recitfy all signage deficiencies.
8. Improve parking wayfinding signage.

Click map to enlarge.

Yarragon recommendations

1. Increase parking enforcement and develop new initiatives and community education to ensure best parking practices.
2. Convert unrestricted parking spaces on Princes Highway Service Road to time restricted spaces.
3. Convert 4 unrestricted parking spaces on Loch Street to long vehicle parking.
4. Convert unrestricted parking spaces at in Loch Street carpark and Hanns Lane northwest carpark to 2-hour parking.
5. Reconstruction of Campbell Street and keep all on street parking as 1-hour.
6. Construction of angle parking on south side of Hanns Lane near Rollo Street.
7. Rectify all signage deficiencies.
8. Improve parking wayfinding signage.

Click map to enlarge.

Trafalgar recommendations

1. Increase parking enforcement in the Trafalgar town centre.
2. Improve parking turnover in Depot Lane carparks by changing all day parking to 2-hour parking.
3. Formalise the unrestricted parking spaces along both sides of Kitchener Street by installing line markings from Anzac Road to Lady Hamilton Lane.
4. Convert unrestricted spaces on the western side of McCrorey Street to long vehicle parking.
5. Rectify all signage deficiencies.
6. Improve parking wayfinding signage.

Click map to enlarge.

"Although not always popular, parking restrictions and regulations make a real impact on local liveability and trade," says Mayor of Baw Baw Shire Cr Annemarie McCabe. "Getting them right is important to make sure people with varying needs have access to facilities and services, to make sure parking is safe for pedestrians and road users, and to support productivity and turnover for businesses and retail."

"The findings and recommendations of these studies are a direct outcome of detailed community input, data collection and expert analysis. What's clear is that things aren't working as efficiently as they should in some places. Vehicle overstay is a real issue. Overall, these changes aim to address the issue in a way that is most efficient and equitable for all residents, visitors and businesses."

The adopted changes to parking conditions will be implemented in stages over the next financial year, in some cases subject to agreement and negotiation with site owners.

Public notice will be given before changes to parking times are implemented to avoid unintentional overstays and fines. Where changes impact specific businesses or residences, they will be notified directly.