Perth parking levy driving shoppers out of CBD: Property Council WA

The high price of parking has discouraged shoppers from coming into the CBD, exacerbating the issues faced by the city’s retail industry including low foot traffic and a dwindling economy. 

Lino Iacomella, Property Council WA executive director said the State Government must do everything it can to increase the number of people shopping in the Perth CBD and should commit to not increasing the Perth Parking Levy in the upcoming State Budget.

“The Perth Parking Levy raised an estimated $34 million in 2012/13 with a $365 per bay increase announced in the 2014/15 Budget (despite the $48 million of funds unspent)," he said.

“The city centre is facing significant economic challenges following the decline of the investment boom with CBD office vacancies now at 21%. The decline in the number of people working in the CBD has led to a jump in retail vacancies to 16%.

‘If less people now work in the CBD, we must look at ways to attract people in from the suburbs. The Perth Parking Levy has driven up the cost of parking, making the city not competitive, compared to the suburban shopping centre that all offer free parking.

“The parking levy is highly inequitable as it only captures a small portion of the cars that contribute to Perth’s congestion issues.

“The Levy also applies to all commercial buildings’ parking bays, which makes investors less likely to purchase property in the CBD, stagnating the market and doing nothing to increase Perth’s worker population.

“Perth CBD is in urgent need of revitalisation. The State Government must commit to not increasing the Perth Parking Levy to spur the inner-city economy and keep WA growing."