Affluent Sydney suburbs to be charged for street parking under council plan

Residents in some of Australia’s wealthiest postcodes could soon pay for on-street parking under a council overhaul – but one mayor says a proposal to charge people to use their streets will be scrapped.

Waverley Council in New South Wales – which includes Bondi Beach, Vaucluse and Bronte Beach – this week will consider a draft parking strategy that will combine homes with two permits and introduce new fees, with the first permit potentially costing $100 to $150 and the second jumping to $300 to $400, as reported by Wentworth Couri.

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The plan is still a concept but aims to reset how kerbside space is managed amid growing demand, a growing population and the rapid shift to larger vehicles.

A council report found that large vehicles have effectively reduced available on-street parking by around six per cent over the past decade, while around 100 new lanes are added each year, reducing parking spaces.

Almost every local government area – apart from Queens Park and Bronte – already has more permits issued than on-street properties, with Bondi Beach sitting on almost double that.

Mayor Will Nemesh has moved to ease the most controversial item – a “kerb protection” idea that would see residents charged for using their driveways, potentially costing $300.

“I would like to remove this option for consideration at the council meeting,” he told the Wentworth Courier.

“I want to see parking in Waverley fair, equitable and sustainable.

“The views presented to the council, apart from the proposal to protect the road, seek to achieve this balance.”

Waverley Council in New South Wales includes Bondi Beach, Vaucluse and Bronte Beach.

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The report also acknowledges that “it is no secret that many users prefer not to pay for parking”, but says that rates and limits can balance demand over time and improve outcomes for everyone.

Any money collected will be reinvested in parking-related initiatives, including stricter enforcement such as required towing.

Nemesh said the council had not carried out a comprehensive review of parking since 2017 and it was “too late”.

Waverley Council Mayor Will Nemesh will oppose traffic charges. Photo: Gaye Gerard /NewsWire

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Waverley scrapped the residence permit fee in 2018, as car ownership rose across the borough. Several neighboring councils – including Woollahra, City of Sydney, Randwick and Mosman – already charge for residential permits.

If accepted, the redevelopment would represent one of the most significant changes to Waverley’s parking facilities in years, putting a premium on rare kerbside space in suburbs where permits have been around for longer than available spaces and the pressure is only increasing.