Mornington Peninsula Shire Mayor Anthony Marsh has confirmed that paid parking is officially “dead and buried” following a council meeting on Tuesday night, 28 January.

At the meeting, councillors reviewed a report stemming from a previous request to consider abandoning the paid parking policy. The report returned with a recommendation to scrap the initiative, which was subsequently endorsed by the council.

“We’ve given that the all-clear, so that project is dead and buried for now,”

Mayor Marsh said.

“Council can always change its mind in a year or ten years’ time, but this council has said we’re not interested in pursuing that further.”

Public Feedback Influences Decision

The decision to abandon paid parking follows significant community feedback, with many residents and local businesses voicing opposition to the proposal.

“This decision is clearly based on public feedback,” Mayor Marsh confirmed. “I heard a lot from residents and businesses all over, so it’s good to be able to deliver on that.”

New Parking Management Policy in Development

While paid parking has been scrapped, the council has approved the development of a broader parking management policy to address ongoing parking challenges across the Shire.

“There have always been parking issues, whether it’s people parking on nature strips, blocking areas like Mount Martha around The Pillars, or overstaying limits in timed zones,” Marsh explained.

The new policy will explore potential solutions such as permit zones, tow-away areas, and adjustments to time-limited parking restrictions.

“It’s a high-level policy. We’re saying paid parking is clearly not wanted, and while conceptually it might make sense, in execution, it didn’t work. But that doesn’t mean we don’t look at parking, because parking remains an issue.”

The council’s move is expected to be welcomed by locals who previously campaigned against the paid parking scheme, ensuring that access to popular locations remains free while more effective parking solutions are explored.