City proposes free parking for scooters and motorcycles

City proposes free parking for scooters and motorcycles

Motorcycle and scooter riders would be exempt from paying for parking on City streets under an innovative new City of Sydney Motorcycle and Scooter Strategy to be discussed at a meeting of the Planning, Transport and Development Committee on Monday 28 July.

The draft strategy also proposes trialing publicly accessible charging points for electric scooters, on-street fastening points to secure motorbikes and advocates for cheaper and easier tolling options on motorways.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said the strategy is designed to support the increasing number of people making the switch from four wheels to two.

"The number of registered motorcycles rose from 351,000 to 512,000 between 2001 and 2007,"Ms Moore said. "More and more motorists are feeling the pinch of increasing petrol prices and are switching to motorbikes which can consume up to four times less fuel than a car while being easier to park.

"The City is committed to sustainable transport options and supports the gradual shift away from large, polluting vehicles to smaller more efficient vehicles to complement walking, cycling and public transport.

"This draft strategy addresses the key issues motorcycle and scooter riders face on a daily basis - parking, safety and security. The current pay and display parking meters discriminate against motorcyclists who cannot display a ticket on a dashboard and risk having a ticket stolen or blown away.

"This strategy proposes to exempt motorcyclists and scooter riders from paying parking meters, but they will still be required to comply with maximum time restrictions which are enforced by City Rangers,"Ms Moore said.

Scooters and motorbikes tend to be easier to park and can reduce demand with five scooters or motorbikes able to fit into the same space required for a car. The City already provides 600 free, untimed parking spots across the CBD and inner city suburbs.

"In a densely populated urban environment, scooters and motorbikes can be a convenient and cheap option for single person travel. Howe'ver safety remains a key concern for all motorcyclists,"Ms Moore said.

Motorcyclists are 30 times more likely than a car occupant to be fatally injured and 41 times more likely to sustain a serious injury. Even though motorcycles constitute less than five per cent of all registered passenger vehicles and less than one per cent of vehicle kilometres travelled, motorcyclists account for almost 15 per cent of Australian road fatalities.

The strategy proposes to review all city streets to identify hazards and obstacles that may increase risks for motorcyclists and to work with the RTA on its successful education programs for riders and other road users.

The strategy has been developed in response to submissions and surveys of riders and in consultation with respected motorcycle writer Peter Thoeming and the Motorcycle Council of NSW.

"Any world city needs a healthy mix of transport options,"Peter Thoeming said. "The Scooter and Motorcycle Strategy takes Sydney closer again to creating an optimum mix.

"I feel sure that the motorcycle community will heartily welcome the very substantial increase in parking and the Citys support for their lifestyle and transport choice.

"With a significantly smaller footprint both when moving and when parked, scooters and motorcycles can relieve traffic pressure on urban centres. Given their generally excellent fuel economy, they can do so while emitting significantly lesser amounts of polluting gases."

They can do this while still increasing the access that inner city residents have to services, because they are easier to park both at home and while out and about,"Mr Thoeming said.

The draft strategy will be considered for public exhibition at the Committee meeting on Monday and at a full Council meeting on Monday 4 August. The free parking will be subject to a 12-month trial.

City Staffs report recommends that the strategy be publicly exhibited for 28 days, which will commence in August if the recommendation is supported by Council. This will allow the community and motorcycle and scooter riders the chance to read and comment on the proposals.

City of Sydney Draft Motorcycle & Scooter Plan Action List: