Residents report failure of the new parking and traffic arrangements for the 2022 Australian Grand Prix. City of Port Phillip and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) trialled new parking and traffic arrangements for the 2022 Grand Prix. The aim was to minimise the impacts of the Grand Prix on local residents and businesses. Information about parking and traffic management is published on the COPP website:
https://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/council-services/traffic-roads-and-transport/grand-prix-parking-and-traffic 

The new approach to traffic management included replacing the previous physical barricades around Middle Park and Albert Park with temporary parking changes to 2P Thursday 7th April to Sunday 1oth April 8 am to 6 pm to discourage GP visitors from parking in residential streets. Properties within the affected area received two temporary parking permits to exempt them from the temporary parking changes. The trial aimed to provide ease of access to residents and visitors to local businesses, schools and community centres while limiting the impact of GP visitors on our local streets. 

Greg, an Albert Park Families resident made a complaint to the City of Port Phillip of an illegally parking car during the Australian Grand Prix using the Snap, Send Solve app, the COPP informed him that the attending infringement officer was “unable to enforce (the parking restriction) as the signage was not conforming”. The non-conforming sign was actually a temporary sticker placed over a no stopping sign. One resident commented “Port Phillip Council employed contractors to put these signs up and now won’t enforce the 2-hour parking. What a farce!”

Sarah Stone, a Middle Park reported visitors removed the temporary 2P stickers applied to the existing unlimited parking and parked all day in Richardson Street without receiving infringement notices. When Sarah advised COPP that the temporary stickers had been removed, she was informed the signs would shortly be reinstated and infringement officers would be in attendance. Sarah said, “The signs were finally amended in Richardson Street but in some cases were applied so badly that they did not cover the unlimited P sign which we discovered later meant that infringement notices could not be issued”. We understand that every time the temporary stickers were re-applied to the existing signs the stickers were removed and consequently few infringement notices were issued. 

Residents were also impacted by taxis and rideshares dropping off and picking up customers in Richardson Street either side of Armstrong Street. The volume of traffic was enormous compared to prior years when Richardson Street was not used as an unofficial pickup and drop off location for taxis and rideshares and the volume of traffic was not a problem as it was a local access area only.

One resident who displayed permits on the incorrect side of the dashboard was fined. This is just petty and nasty especially when the City of Port Phillip has botched the design and execution of the temporary signs.