Item 4.4 - Traffic - 7/09/18

N O R T H S Y D N E Y C O U N C I L

To the General Manager

Attach: 1. Proposed Parking Changes

SUBJECT: (4.4) Wilson Street, Cammeray – Resident Parking Survey Results

AUTHOR: Report of Traffic & Transport Engineer, Nathan Wu

DESCRIPTION/SUBJECT MATTER:

Council has received representations on behalf of residents in Wilson Street concerning traffic

and parking issues at the entry/exit of Wilson Street, and garbage trucks access issue due to

vehicles parked on both sides of the street in the narrow sections.

Following investigation and consultation with Council’s Waste Service Team, two options are

being proposed to address the concerns being raised.

A survey regarding the above proposal was sent out on 17 July 2018 to 68 residents and

property owners. The survey was also published online. The residents were given until 13

August 2018 to respond. A total of 38 responses were received. This represents a response rate

of 55.9%. This is a relatively good response rate for traffic related surveys.

The answers received from the residents and property owners are summarised in the report.

Recommended changes to the parking restrictions are also detailed in the report.

RECOMMENDATION:

1. THAT No Stopping ‘6am-1pm on Mondays and Fridays’ be installed on the eastern side of

Wilson Street between No.1 Wilson Street and Carter Street, and opposite property No.14

Wilson Street as per attached plan.

2. THAT Council Rangers be requested to patrol Wilson Street to enforce any illegal parking

behaviour.

3. THAT the affected residents be notified prior to the implementation of the parking changes.

Report of Traffic Report of Traffic & Transport Engineer, Nathan Wu

Re: Wilson Street – Parking Survey Results

(2)

CONSULTATION REQUIREMENTS

Consultation has been undertaken in accordance with Council's Community Egnagement

Protocol

Standard or Guideline Used: AS2890.5; AS1742.11; NSC Resident Parking Permit Policy

Signs & Lines Priority: 2

Precinct and Ward: The Plateau/Tunks

Impact on Bicycles: Nil

Impact on Pedestrians: Nil

Impact on Parking: Some changes to parking restrictions are proposed as outlined in the

report.

DETAIL

Council surveyed the residents and property owners in Wilson Street with regard to two options

for the pinch points along Wilson Street between property No.1 and Carter Street, and opposite

property No.14:

1. No Stopping ‘6am-1pm on Mondays and Fridays’ (waste collection times)

2. Full-time No Stopping

Survey Results

A total of 68 surveys were sent out on 17 July 2018. The survey was also published online. The

residents were given until 13 August 2018 to respond. A total of 41 responses were received.

This represents a response rate of 55.9%. This is a relatively good response rate for traffic

related surveys.

The answers received from the survey are summarised in the following table.

Q1. Eastern side of Wilson Street between

Carter Street and No.1 Wilson Street

Q2. Eastern side of Wilson Street opposite

No.14 Wilson Street

In favour of

Part-time

No Stopping

In favour of

Full-time

No Stopping

Oppose to

either

options

In favour of

Part-time

No Stopping

In favour of

Full-time

No Stopping

Oppose to

either

options

Resident/

business 12 11 8 18 8 5

Anonymous 1 1

Outside of the

survey area 1 3 1 3

TOTAL 13 12 11 19 9 8

36.1% 33.3% 30.6% 52.8% 25.0% 22.2%

Note: duplicate and unrelated responses were excluded from the final result.

Report of Traffic Report of Traffic & Transport Engineer, Nathan Wu

Re: Wilson Street – Parking Survey Results

(3)

Comments received

Respondents were asked to provide general comments/feedback as desired. Comments have

been grouped by emerging themes.

No Stopping on the eastern side of Wilson St between property No.1 and Carter Street

Responses in favour of the Part-time No Stopping

It seems every second week the rubbish cannot be collected so to restrict the parking on

Monday and Friday would be fantastic. The street is very short of parking so we are in favour

of only restricting it on those days.

Parking on the street has always been difficult, but it has become considerably worse since the

cafe opened on the corner of Carter St. Nevertheless, problems for the garbage trucks access

have become noticeable this year mostly due to the major renovations and additions being

conducted at no 20 and large tradesmen's vehicles being parked on both sides of the street.

Parking at the corner of Wilson Street and Carter Street has significant impact on the safety of

traffic entering or exiting Wilson St as well as the safety of children and others crossing Wilson

Street. Visibility is significantly affected by parking within the 10m statutory No Stopping zone

on both sides of the road.

My garage is in Wilson Lane. "Lower Wilson St". It is getting so hard to get our sometimes

with so many cars in Wilson St. Not to mention Building goes on in Wilson St & truck parked

as well.

Responses in favour of the Full-time No Stopping

With cafe parking at the bottom of the street and commuter parking further up the street (on

both sides) it is impossible for garbage trucks to reverse up the street. But garbage truck access

is not the only requirement. Delivery trucks and most importantly emergency vehicles need to

be able to drive to the end of the street AND do a U-turn to exit the street. If they can't do a U-

turn, then they need to be able to reverse all the way up to the end of the street or all the way

down the street. Thus, full time 'no stopping' in those Zones is essential.

The waste collection days are not the only time this problem occurs. Several tradesmen trucks

and delivery vehicles enter the street all hours of the day. Visibility for cars entering and

exiting, is non-existent when vehicles are parked on both sides of the street, as well as, the

corner at the end of Wilson Street and Carter Street. There is no space for two way traffic, and

is unfortunately an accident waiting to happen.

The street is too narrow to accommodate parking on both sides of the street. The spot where

the street bends slightly is particularly tight, when cars are parked at odd angles on both sides.

The surrounding streets all have 'no stopping' at the corners of their street, and they are all

wider with space for two way traffic.

Please note the residents' concerns about parked cars limiting access to Wilson Street include

potential problems of access for fire trucks and ambulances, as well as for garbage trucks,

tradesmens' trucks, and supermarket truck deliveries.

Report of Traffic Report of Traffic & Transport Engineer, Nathan Wu

Re: Wilson Street – Parking Survey Results

(4)

No Stopping on the eastern side of Wilson St opposite No.14 Wilson St

Responses in favour of the Part-time No Stopping

I favour resident only parking from 8 AM to 1 PM M-F on Wilson St.

Responses in favour of the Full-time No Stopping

Every day & time driving my land curser in And out of my garage with extreme difficulty firstly

the street opposite my house is narrow and secondly cars almost parking all times it very

frustration to navigate my way in and out of the garage without damaging the parking cars as

well some time we miss on waste collection because the parking cars.

Full time restrictions are required to ensure emergency vehicles etc are able to pass this

constriction. Also suggest that instead of no stopping, the signage be "No Parking" for

consistency with the conditions immediately to the north of No. 14.

We can't drive our car in and out of the garage when cars parking opposite the road.

Responses in favour of neither options

It is concerning for local businesses to lose more parking in an area with already limited

parking.

I believe #2 Wilson st has had their driveway approved so this will already lead to the loss of

two more car parking spaces permanently.

By making the spot on the Western side of Wilson St, between 8A Carter St and 2 Wilson St

(already a difficult to park spot where the kerb curves out/narrowest part) No Stopping Mon

& Fri mornings, as this will only be 1 car spot and will lead towards 2 Wilson Street’s future

driveway anyway. This option will lose the least amount of parking possible and impact local

businesses the least.

Firstly, there is already a draft plan for NorthSydney Council to widen Wilson Street,

Cammeray using that plot of land opposite and cafe where the postbox stands. Secondly, it is

unreasonable for the Council to allow businesses to set up and then restrict access to their

business by restricting access to parking when there is viable alternative i.e. widening the road.

The Alchemist Cafe is a significant local small business and community hub which Cammeray

sorely needs. I am concerned that imposing traffic restrictions will affect their business. There

is an opportunity for council to consider widening Wilson St and I’d encourage them to

consider this option, and to ensure they don’t affect the trade of Cammeray’s best local

business. We need to keep them here and thriving.

Your gonna kill the access to businesses on Carter St if you limit parking there for any duration.

"How about -

* road widening

* scheduling pick up outside of peak times

* changing pick up days to less business critical days, ie Monday’s and Thursday’s, and

enforcing a no parking zone on those days only"

Report of Traffic Report of Traffic & Transport Engineer, Nathan Wu

Re: Wilson Street – Parking Survey Results

(5)

I do not endorse any of the no stopping options given. I am in favour of the road reserve being

used for what is what supposedly intended “future road widening purposes” which will provide

resolution to the problem at hand while securing what limited parking we already have.

1. We wish to retain parking availability on both sides of the street 24/7 outside our property

for visitors, deliveries and trades services people. As the proposed changes are directly outside

our property we are the most impacted by any proposed changes.

2. We would not object a proposal for a no stopping being installed only on Friday mornings

but not for the booked collection on Mondays if there is no suitable alternative.

3. We suggest that Council look at placing parallel parking signs in the turning area in Wilson

Street as currently cars are parking front to kerb restricting turning ability.

4. If the pinch point is an issue then place no stopping signs on the area we have highlighted

on your picture as this should solve the problem in one go together.

This is more than a garbage issue it is also an emergency services (police, fire, ambulance)

issue all of the time. We do not need an entire section removed between Carter and No1 Wilson,

simply 1-2 spaces in the location of the pinch point namely at the Southern boundary of No.2

Wilson where the road kinks and narrows. This would then ensure the safety of the street, make

garbage collection possible and ensure there is enough parking for business (cafe and

physiotherapist) as well as residents by only restricting what is absolutely necessary.

We would also support simply doing a No Stopping area at the pinch point on the curve past

the cafe at 1 Wilson Street and shortening the parking area by a car length outside 16 Wilson

Street - both for 24 hours a day - which would increase the amount of parking on the street

compared to the current proposals put forward by the Council.

No Stopping for the single space previously identified on the curved part adjacent to No.1 (or

the single space opposite but not both). Prefer 6am to 1pm Mon & Fri only but full time would

be ok for just this single space.

"I oppose BOTH options in Question 1. There are better alternatives that have not been put

forward which will not negatively impact on resident parking AND a key local business (that

provides a valuable community service).

'No Stopping"" opposite the cafe will cause the loss of at least 4-6 parking spaces, thus pushing

parking congestion further up Wilson St, (even if only for garbage days). Many people other

than cafe patrons use Wilson St. for parking as it is the first street down the hill from the

Cammeray hub without timed parking.

Discussion

Based on the survey responses, the majority of respondents (77.8%) support the installation of

No Stopping restriction opposite No. 14 Wilson Street, with 19 (52.8%) of the respondents

support the part-time No Stopping.

However, there are split views on the provision of No Stopping restrictions on the eastern side

of Wilson Street between No.1 Wilson Street and Carter Street. 13 (36.1%) of the respondents

support the part-time No Stopping; 12 (33.3%) of the respondents support the full-time No

Stopping; and 11 (30.6%) respondents support neither options.

Report of Traffic Report of Traffic & Transport Engineer, Nathan Wu

Re: Wilson Street – Parking Survey Results

(6)

The main concerns of those respondents who support full-time No Stopping are access issues

for emergency and delivery vehicles other than garbage trucks, whereas the respondents

support the part-time No Stopping are happy to remove parking only on garbage collection

days. Of those respondents opposed to either options, the main concerns are the impact of the

parking loss on residents, visitors and accesses to the local businesses on the corner of Wilson

Street and Carter Street.

Several residents and business owners have suggested that if the proposed No Stopping zone

could be reduced to one or two spaces only at the narrowest section of the road or only to apply

on one day, or to have the road widened. It should be noted that, the proposed length of the No

Stopping zone was determined following consultation with Council’s Waste Services and

Garbage Collection Operators.

Council’s Waste Services were further consulted following the resident survey. They have

indicated that they would still prefer the current proposal and provided the following

comments:

“URM services Wilson St on Monday’s for vegetation and bulk item collection on alternate

weeks and on Friday’s for general waste and recycling services, as you are aware it is difficult

for these vehicles to gain access due to cars parking on the “kink point” outside number 2 and

directly opposite.

It is most difficult if these cars are not parked closely into the kerb, if the vehicles are parked

out from the kerb or on an angle it makes it almost impossible for the collection vehicles to

pass and service this street, some of the vehicles parked this way are larger ute type vehicles.

It is not viable for Council to keep requesting the URM vehicles return to Wilson St and finding

there is still no access.

URM services Wilson St twice on Friday’s, the 1st collection is early morning for waste then

returning later in the morning or early afternoon for the recycling service.”

Conclusion

Given that the majority of respondents were in favour of the introduction of part-time No

Stopping restrictions, it is recommended that No Stopping ‘6am-1pm on Mondays and Fridays’

be installed on the eastern side of Wilson Street between No.1 Wilson Street and Carter Street,

and opposite property No.14 Wilson Street,

It was noted in the survey responses that concerns were raised with the safety and traffic flow

on the corner of Wilson Street and Carter Street due to illegal practices such as double parking

or stopping at the intersection to collect coffee from the cafe. It is recommended that Council

Rangers be requested to patrol this location to enforce any illegal parking.

Additionally, there were concerns raised with the sight distance issues of cars exiting Wilson

Street onto Carter Street. Council has recently pruned the vegetation on the corner of the

intersection and installed Give Way lines to improve driver’s sightline and safety.

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Proposed Signage Plan