Visitors will have to pay to park at a range of popular Blue Mountains destinations like Wentworth Falls Lake and Lincoln's Rock under plans currently on public exhibition.
People have until January 20 to have their say on the latest paid parking plans being considered by Blue Mountains City Council.
The Draft Parking Strategic Plan now outlines "priority visitor destinations" where paid parking could be implemented. These include: Wentworth Falls Lookout, Falls Road; Wentworth Falls Lake; Conservation Hut, Wentworth Falls; Echo Point precinct, Katoomba; Cahill's Lookout, Katoomba; Katoomba Falls; Leura Cascades; Lincoln's Rock, Wentworth Falls; Gordon Falls, Leura; and Boars Head Lookout, Katoomba.
Council asked the community in November if they agreed visitors should pay to park in the Blue Mountains to help fund services, facilities and infrastructure.
Under the proposal, residents or people that run businesses or work in the Blue Mountains would not have to pay for parking, they would only have to adhere to time regulations to ensure the turnover of parking in these locations.
"This strategy provides a strategic framework to improve traffic and transport functionality across the city, including a paid parking scheme that manages traffic demand and congestion whilst providing revenue for visitor and resident infrastructure," said Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill.
It is proposed that paid parking would initially be rolled out in 2023 in town and village centres where there is existing regulated timed parking. This includes towns or village centres like Blackheath, Katoomba, Leura, Wentworth Falls, Lawson, Hazelbrook, Springwood, Blaxland, Glenbrook, as well as Echo Point.
"It's become very clear after multiple natural disasters, and unprecedented rainfall, that our ageing infrastructure was not built to withstand the effects of climate change," said the mayor.
"A citywide visitor paid parking scheme, where visitors to the city pay to park but local residents and businesses do not, will help generate the income that our city needs without further burdening ratepayers."
Residents can have their say about the Draft Parking Strategic Plan, at yoursay.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/citywide-parking-scheme until January 20, 2023.
Feedback received during this stage of consultation, as well as feedback received during stage one, will be reported to the council in February 2023.
