Parking Operational Action Plan

Not every parking space needs to serve the same purpose.

Some spaces are in high-demand areas and are best suited to short visits. Others are better suited to longer stays.

Council will look at ways to encourage people staying longer to use off-street and longer-stay parking, helping free up convenient spaces in busy areas.

This includes:

Better promotion of long-stay parking
We’ll make it easier to understand where longer-stay parking is available and encourage people to use these areas.

Reviewing existing car parks
Council will regularly review time limits, pricing and how spaces are allocated to make sure existing car parks are being used as effectively as possible.

Looking at Little Alexander Street
Council will investigate options to expand or redevelop the Little Alexander Street car park to provide additional long-term and reserved parking capacity.

The plan proposes introducing 41 short-term, 30-minute parking spaces on Level 2 of the Multi Storey Car Park.

These spaces would be in addition to the existing pram and disability parking spaces on that level.

The aim is simple: make it easier to park when you only need to make a quick visit.

The Multi Storey Car Park is already predominantly used for shorter stays, with most visits lasting less than two hours.

Parking prices can influence where and how long people park.

The plan proposes moving towards demand-based pricing.

In simple terms, this means:

Busy, high-demand spaces → higher pricing

Longer-stay and outer areas → lower pricing or incentives

The goal is to improve turnover in the busiest areas while encouraging longer stays in places where more parking is available.

The plan also proposes:

• Annual reviews of parking pricing
• Pricing incentives for long-stay and off-street parking
• Early-bird parking at the Multi Storey Car Park (currently available) 
• A proposed six-month free Saturday parking trial in off-street car parks

The proposed Saturday trial would be monitored to see whether it increases visitation, supports local businesses and makes a measurable difference.

The plan recognises that affordability matters.

Burnie has higher levels of socio-economic disadvantage and is sensitive to cost-of-living pressures, so the plan states that parking pricing should consider affordability and avoid approaches that are perceived as punitive.

Burnie’s current parking prices are also at the lower end compared with the Tasmanian councils considered in the plan.

Parking is becoming increasingly digital, but cash remains important to many people.

Council will continue supporting both digital and cash payment options.

The plan also proposes introducing additional digital parking payment providers, giving users more choice and reducing reliance on a single provider.

Digital payments have increased significantly, from 28% of parking payments in 2019–20 to 68% in 2024–25.

But Council recognises that not everyone wants to or can use digital payments, so cash will continue to be supported.

Finding a car park shouldn't feel like a treasure hunt.

The plan identifies inconsistent wayfinding as one of the reasons people can end up circulating through busy areas while other car parks remain underused.

Council will look at:

• Clearer and more consistent parking signs
• Better directions to off-street car parks
• Promoting longer-stay parking
• Clear walking routes between car parks and key destinations
• Digital options, including the potential for real-time parking availability in the future

The aim is to help people find the right place to park before they start driving around looking for a space.

As electric vehicle use increases, parking needs to keep up.

The plan proposes:

• Relocating existing foreshore EV charging infrastructure to more suitable off-street locations
• Increasing the number of charging bays
• Exploring the potential for additional charging infrastructure or a charging hub

Accessible parking remains an important part of the parking network.

The plan recognises the need to provide parking that supports people of all abilities and improve connections between parking and the places people need to access.

Council currently provides designated disability parking spaces across the municipality, including within the Multi Storey Car Park. There are currently 493 registered disability permit holders.

The plan also looks beyond standard cars.

Council will explore opportunities to:

• Increase RV parking bays
• Review parking zones across the municipality
• Improve loading and truck zones
• Review parking around key precincts, including West Park
• Better align parking zones with the City Loop and Burnie City Centre Urban Plan

Parking rules only work if they are consistently enforced.

The plan proposes increasing resources for enforcement in outer CBD areas, including school and health precincts, where enforcement is currently more reactive because of staffing limitations.

The plan also recommends maintaining a two-officer CBD enforcement model to support safety, compliance and parking turnover.

The goal isn't enforcement for enforcement's sake.

It's about making sure parking rules are applied consistently so spaces are available for the people who need them.

One of the biggest changes behind the scenes will be better information.

Council will collect and monitor data about:

• Where people are parking
• How long they stay
• How busy different car parks are
• Compliance with time limits
• Digital payment use
• Reserved parking
• Customer feedback

This information will help Council understand what is actually happening and make better decisions about pricing, time limits, enforcement and future investment.

The plan will also be reviewed annually where data shows changes are needed, with a full review planned for 2030.