Motorbike and scooter owners get free ride
BY NELLIE REEVES
Waverly Council is giving away all day parking to scooter and motorbike owners in Syd Einfield Park from early July. Mayor Ingrid Strewe announced 13 free parking bays and is proposing free four-hour parking in Spring Street, Bondi Junction. The council wants to double the amount of free parking for these vehicles in the next five years.
Since January, 15,747 scooters and motorbikes have been registered in NSW and 6201 scooters and 127,311 motorbikes were registered in NSW in 2007. ‘They are growing in popularity, with over 2799 newly-registered scooters hitting the road in NSW last year and the figure is continuing to rise,’ Councillor Strewe said.
Road transport accounts for 12 per cent of national emissions with passenger vehicles the dominant producers. Cr Strewe said use was being encouraged because they are better for the environment – they use less fuel, emit fewer pollutants and take up less space.
And 23 parking meters in Grafton Street and Bronte Road, Bondi Junction will be turned off after 6pm, an extension of last year’s trial. An additional 29 bays will be free all day in Campbell Parade between Lamrock Avenue and Beach Road, Bondi Beach until September. From July 1, an hourly rate of two dollars will be set for Park Drive on weekdays until September.
A council decision will also see meters turned off after 6pm in Nelson Street, Leswell St, Oxford Street west, Ruthven St, Newland St, Gardiner St, McKenzie St, Porter St, Allens Parade, Waverley St and Pine Lane.
The environmentally friendly plan hopes to bring more people into Bondi Junction’s café’s and restaurants in the evening and more people to Bondi Beach in the winter.
