‘Unfair’ beach parking scheme costing North Sydney renters up to $250 could be scrapped

A renewed push is underway to scrap “unfair” parking rules for renters in an affluent area in Sydney’s north – which is currently costing them $250 a year just to park their vehicle near the beach.

Tenants in the Northern Beaches Council area are currently required to apply for an annual parking permit to park their vehicle near the beach, which costs $250.

But homeowners in the same area are issued to free permits under the same scheme.

The discrepancy with the two-tiered permit scheme, which is also employed in the affluent Mosman Council area, has led to NSW Roads Minister John Graham claiming it creates “unfairness” between the two groups.

He asked: “The beach is for everyone, so why isn’t the beach carpark?”

“We do not believe a distinction should be made based on whether someone owns their own home or rents it when it comes to access to the beach.

“This is a fairness issue, and a cost-of-living issue.”

Mr Graham said the proposed change would give renters the same right to free parking as ratepayers – people who own their home – and that the two councils had been alerted to the proposal.

“We’re consulting with councils (and) asking them to come up with a better plan. This will be a genuine consultation with interest in talking to the councils,” Mr Graham said on Thursday.

“We are not looking at cutting revenue here.

“We are asking councils to redesign their schemes … renters aren’t happy in those areas that they can’t access the beach when their neighbours can.”

According to the State Government, a third of people in the state currently rent their property, with any changes to parking rules to be issued as part of an update to the parking guidelines.

In the Mosman Council area, property owners get a free access sticker to four car parks, including at Balmoral and the Spit.

Meanwhile renters can only purchase up to two permits for $61 each.

In both Mosman and the Northern Beaches, homeowners are also able to purchase an additional two free beach parking spaces, bringing the total for northern beaches ratepayers to four.

Casual carparking charges at popular beaches including Manly and Balmoral currently cost up to $10 an hour for anyone without a parking permit, while Bondi Beach is $10.80 an hour.

Mr Graham said the government was also considering stopping councils being able to stop strata or multi-unit tenants from obtaining parking permits on the same terms as other residents.