Local law will minimise stadium impact on nearby streets
Date published: 24 February 2022
Townsville City Council has made a new local law to regulate on-street parking in the streets around Queensland County Bank Stadium on days when games, concerts or other events are held.
Mayor Jenny Hill said Council was committed to minimising the impact patrons attending stadium events had on residents who lived nearby in Railway Estate and South Townsville.
“The new law allows Council to regulate parking in parts of these suburbs to stop neighbourhoods from being inundated with cars when events are being held at the stadium.
“Similar arrangements were in place around 1300SMILES Stadium in Kirwan,” Cr Hill said.
“An interim local law was adopted when Queensland County Bank Stadium opened in early 2020.
“The cancellation of a number of events and limits on attendance in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic in 2020 and 2021 meant that Council was not required to enforce the interim law before it expired.
“The gradual relaxation of COVID restrictions and a return to full attendance at the stadium means it is now more likely that parking regulation will be required, so we need the new local law.
“Public consultation undertaken in mid-2020 found most respondents supported regulated parking, however there were concerns raised about the regulated area being bigger than necessary.
“We have acted on that feedback and we have made the area the new local law covers considerably smaller.”
The regulations will limit how long a vehicle can be parked on the street around events but will not restrict how many vehicles can be parked inside a property.
Generally, parking for non-residents in these areas will be limited to 15 minutes, however in the area around Palmer Street, a two-hour limit will apply. Council will continue to work with restaurants and other businesses in the area to assist their customers to park without restriction.
The new regulations will apply from one hour before until one hour after a main game or event.
The online resident parking permit system will remain in place at no cost for property owners in the regulated parking area.
There will be no need to display the permit. When patrols are conducted of the stadium event parking area, number plate recognition technology will enable Council to quickly identify permitted vehicles.
Residents who have a carer, receive assistance from health or community organisations, or can provide justification of special circumstances can apply for a special permit.
