A controversial plan to install paid metered parking at some of Sydney’s most frequented coastal destinations has triggered intense public pushback, with local residents and business owners branding the initiative a blatant “cash grab” that will harm local livelihoods and disrupt community access to public shorelines.
The proposal, put forward by Randwick City Council, would apply paid parking regulations to a string of popular beaches across the local government area, including Coogee, Maroubra, La Perouse, Little Bay and Clovelly. While official hourly rates have not been finalized, council consultation documents use existing pricing at nearby Sydney beaches as a reference point: Manly Beach charges $10 per hour, Bondi Beach sets rates at $11.60 per hour, and a temporary summer offset parking program at Coogee currently costs $5.50 per hour.
Council officials have grounded their plan in 2023 parking surveys conducted during peak summer season, which found that all beachside parking zones in the area operate at or near full capacity during peak periods. Per the council’s consultation materials, Coogee Beach’s 1,781 public parking spots reach an average 88% occupancy rate on summer weekends, with roughly 4,700 vehicles visiting the area daily for an average stay of just over three hours. Officials argue this high occupancy leaves thousands of additional vehicles circling neighborhoods searching for available spots, creating traffic congestion and reducing access for new visitors.
The public consultation period for the proposal is scheduled to close this week, but anger among local stakeholders has already boiled over. Dave Martin, owner of the Coogee Courtyard hospitality business, warned that mandatory paid parking would deter casual visitors from stopping in the beachside area, delivering a major blow to small local operators. “It’s just another kick in the guts, really,” Martin told Australian current affairs program *A Current Affair* on Monday. “It’s pay to park just to grab a coffee. This is going to stop people from coming down here. It’s going to hurt us.”
Local Maroubra resident Jay Merten also criticized the plan, taking issue with the council’s offer of only one free annual parking permit per household. Merten, who has two teenage children that will soon be driving, noted that the rule would force additional household vehicles to compete for an already limited supply of public spots. “We could have a couple of cars in a few years time,” he said. “It will be more cars looking for fewer spaces.”
But Randwick City Mayor Dylan Parker has defended the proposal, pushing back against claims it is a revenue grab. Parker explained in an initial video announcement of the plan back in March, and repeated in comments to *A Current Affair*, that paid parking would increase spot turnover, opening up beach access to more visitors rather than allowing spaces to be occupied by vehicles for full days. He added that 100% of all revenue generated from paid visitor parking would be reinvested back into coastal management and community amenities, covering the $23.5 million the council spends annually on beachside maintenance, upgrading coastal infrastructure, and expanding sustainable public transport options for beachgoers. “Currently locals pay 100 per cent of the costs of managing our coastline,” Parker said.