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Earlier this year, a controversial proposal was launched to introduce paid parking at some of Sydney's most popular beaches. Now, we’ve got updates – with the plans officially dumped after a fiery council meeting and months of community backlash.
Plans to install parking meters at beachside hotspots including Clovelly, Coogee, Malabar, Little Bay and La Perouse have been voted down by Randwick City councillors, bringing an end – at least for now – to a proposal that sparked one of the area's most heated local debates in years.
The scheme was originally put forward by Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker, who argued paid parking would generate much-needed revenue to help cover the rising costs of maintaining the council's beaches and coastal facilities. Under the proposal, residents would have been eligible for parking permits, while visitors would need to pay to park near the coast.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, a packed council meeting on Tuesday night saw the revised proposal fail to win support. Liberal, Greens and independent councillors voted to scrap the plan, prompting loud cheers from a public gallery filled with anti-meter campaigners.
While the original proposal had already been scaled back, councillors ultimately argued the changes didn't go far enough. Many raised concerns that charging for beach parking would unfairly disadvantage Sydneysiders who don't live within walking distance of the coast, and others pointed to the overwhelming community opposition as reason enough to abandon the idea.
According to a council report, the revised parking meter scheme was expected to generate between $3 million and $3.5 million annually. By comparison, Randwick Council spent $23.5 million maintaining its beachside amenities last financial year – so it really wouldn’t be a cost-covering move.
If the debate feels familiar, that's because it is. Randwick Council has attempted to introduce paid beach parking before, with a similar proposal collapsing more than two decades ago after widespread public protests. One of the most memorable demonstrations saw hundreds of residents gather on Coogee Beach to spell out the word "NO" from above.
For now, at least, heading to Coogee, Clovelly or La Perouse for a beach day won't come with the added cost of feeding a parking meter – meaning more cash left over for post-swim f&c.
In the mood for a winter beach day? These are our favourite beaches in Sydney, ranked.
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