The New South Wales roads minister has failed to follow through on a pledge to veto controversial parking restrictions by a local council in Sydney, with beachgoers now limited to just 15 minutes to park, swim and return to their car.
In November, Woollahra Council – having learned the residents-only parking scheme that had been in place around Watsons Bay for 50 years was actually illegal – decided to implement 15-minute parking limits on the streets near Camp Cove beach.
Residents of the eastern suburbs council who have permits are exempt from the strict new time limits.
The NSW roads minister, John Graham, in November criticised the rule as excluding “the rest of Sydney” and vowed he would instruct the transport department to veto the new rules. At the time he said: “Woollahra council either thinks trips to the beach are something akin to speed dating or they are taking the rest of us for mugs.
“The NSW government will make sure Transport for NSW exercises its veto to knock over this plan for speed-parking.”
However, the government has since found that under the guidelines that cover local parking rules, it was unable to stop the council from implementing the 15-minute time limits on a trial basis.
Parking signs for 65 parking spaces around the beachside area have been replaced since 1 December to make clear the new 15-minute limit for non-locals.
Instead, the government is now pursuing amendments to the overarching guidelines to ensure parking time limits cannot be set for less than one hour in these circumstances.
“I’m not going to allow a situation where 15-minute speed parking gets in the way of access to Sydney’s beaches which are for all, not just local residents,” Graham told Guardian Australia.
“Woollahra Council is able to conduct a six-month trial under the current rules but will be required to comply with the guidelines, and any changes to them, to make changes permanent following that period.”
In the meantime, visitors to the beach will be subject to the 15-minute time limits, with no prospect of change before the end of summer.
The trial period will run until 1 June, by which time the department is expected to have updated its guidelines so the council will not be able to make the time limit rules permanent.
Woollahra Council claims neither the transport department nor police appealed against the council’s plan during the 14-day window they had after being notified on 16 November.
“That period elapsed and Council was advised that neither party would appeal the matter,” the council said in a statement.
The council’s statement said under the new parking-limit scheme, visitors were now able to park in spaces previously marked only for residents. The scheme was based on feedback from lawyers and locals.
“Unlike many other Councils, Woollahra does not charge for beachside parking and wishes to keep it that way,” the statement said.
“The amended parking scheme is a solution for both visitors and residents living in homes and historic weatherboard cottages that do not have garages, carports or driveways to park their cars.”
In November, councillors voted in favour of the 15-minute limit for non-locals to replace the regime of residents-only parking it learned had actually been illegal. Council staff had recommended a one-hour time limit.
At the time, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Liberal councillor Mary-Lou Jarvis said the 15 minute zones were enough for visitors to drop off beach umbrellas and gear before then going to “find somewhere else and spend the day at the beach by being prepared to walk a bit”.
The Woollahra mayor, Richard Shields, denied the new 15-minute restriction would essentially prevent non-residents from visiting the beach.
“Accessibility for everyone in Sydney to this unique beach is critical and is reflected by its status as one of the few without metered parking,” he said.
“We have endeavoured to find a parking solution both for local residents who don’t have off-street parking and for visitors ahead of what is expected to be a busy summer.”
