Randwick Councillors Reject Plan for Paid Parking at Sydney Beaches

Randwick councillors have rejected a plan to introduce hundreds of parking meters at some of Sydney's popular eastern beaches.

The proposal would have brought 1,400 paid parking spaces for visitors at beaches including Clovelly, Coogee, Maroubra, La Perouse, Little Bay and Malabar.

Residents of the Randwick council area would have had access to an unlimited number of permits to exempt them from meter charges.

An initial proposal by the council suggested 3,300 paid parking spaces and one free permit per Randwick household, but this proposal was changed to have fewer paid spaces and more permits after community consultation.

At a council meeting last night, 10 out of 15 councillors voted to reject the new meters, while five Labor councillors including Mayor Dylan Parker voted in favour.

Randwick resident Anni Haque, who campaigned against the meters, said she was concerned approval would have been a first step towards even more parking meters.

"The meters suddenly appear in all these other streets, because the strategic approval has been given. That's what happens," Ms Haque told 702 ABC Sydney.

Meter proposal was to fund beach maintenance

Cr Parker said the vote meant Randwick ratepayers would continue to solely fund the $23.5 million currently paid to maintain beaches.

"The proposal had intended to make it easier for locals to find a park and to fund services and infrastructure like lifeguards, the coastal walkway, surf life saving clubs as well as active transport," Cr Parker said.

"As a result of the decision, the community won't have the additional contribution of visitors to contribute to those services going forward."

According to the council, the beaches receive about 9 million visits a year and up to 85 per cent of beach users are visitors from outside the local government area.

Council to search for parking turnover alternatives

As part of the motion that defeated the meter proposal, council staff will now look for alternative solutions to improve parking turnover at the beaches.

Liberal councillor Christine Hamilton, who put the motion forward, said the council needed to monitor the existing timed parking areas more effectively.

"If they monitor those areas, and if they keep … the parking flowing through those areas, then the word will get out that you've got to get in and you've got to stick to the time that's on the pole," Cr Hamilton said.

She said the council was in surplus every financial year and did not need to add parking meters for additional revenue.

Greens councillor Philipa Veitch said the community was against the idea of visitors being charged while locals could use the beaches for free.

"I think fundamentally people felt it was not in any way fair," Cr Veitch said.

Cr Veitch, who has previously served as the council's mayor, said the council had other means to fund beach maintenance, such as rates and the long-standing environment levy.