“There’s no simple solution,” he said.

“The whole nature of retailing is changing.

“People tend to go for service and best price. There’s internet shopping and more franchised stores.

“Large-format shops and big supermarkets provide diversity.

“If parking was the key why would some traders have decided in recent times to move back into Liebig Street?”

Cr Neoh said he considered shop rental prices were a major reason in decisions by traders on where to set up or to close.

“Take a look at Fairy Street now, there aren’t too many vacant shops,” he said.

“Council can help by beautifying the streetscape in Liebig Street.

“Investment by council and the state government will help drive private investment.

“Everything changes. Retailing, like other industry, has its ebbs and flows.”

City council local laws manager Ian Fitzgibbon revealed that parking changes would be considered as part of a new strategy being developed this year.

“In the meantime, parking arrangements are constantly being improved and refined,” he said.

“In recent times we’ve created new off-street parks in Grace Avenue and Fairy Street and introduced $2 all-day parking.

“We’ve also produced a CBD parking map.”

He said the 25 new parking ticket machines were purchased and installed for about $185,000 to replace outdated machines which were unreliable and could not accept credit cards.

The council’s website shows 2580 on-street car park bays, more than 1000 off-street spaces in the CBD, plus 1040 free all-day spaces on the CBD fringe as well as free parking yards at Aldi, Woolworths and IGA supermarkets and Bayside Plaza. 

All off-street bays are free on weekends and on-street meters are free from noon Saturdays.

The council also states there’s a 15-minute grace period on all on-street and off-street parking meters after money is inserted.

Two-dollars-a-day parking is available in three off-street parking zones.