A Victorian council’s decision to undertake a major review of its parking facilities – despite providing 18,000 residents with a three-level parking facility – has left Wagga’s motorists feeling snubbed. 

Business owners have renewed the push for Wagga City Council to consider the merits of a brand new parking facility, citing it as an “inevitable” development.

“Wagga is supposed to be considered the shopping hub for the entire region, but it’s parking facilities can’t accommodate the region,” Fitzmaurice Street antique store’s Kelly Saunders said.

“It’s not really a matter of if, but when, they decide to make one.

“It would fix a lot of problems if council and businesses can stump up the money for it.”

However, The Co-Store multi-storey car park in Wangaratta has also been accused of draining council money because of low patronage – suggesting it may not be the fix Wagga motorists have been awaiting.

Kooringal’s Jane Woods believes Fitzmaurice Street’s parking pains could be relieved if the width of the median strip was reduced, allowing 45 degree parking to be implemented. 

“If they put in 45 degree parking you’d be able to fit four or five times the amount of cars,” she said.

“It seems more cost-effective than spending millions on a multiple floor car park that might not even be close enough to the shops to get used.

“If I had to choose, I’d cut down the median strip.”

License fees for the facility set Wangaratta council back $118,000 in the last quarter.