More car parking spaces will be added to the CBD when works begin next week on converting the old Koroit Street bus interchange, but parking in central Warrnambool is about to come under the microscope.
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Just how much the city council will spend on the CBD car parking strategy review is unknown with the job currently out to tender.
Mayor Tony Herbert said there had been some "robust" discussions about whether to do it in-house or outsource it.
"I think you need expert opinion, to conduct something of this magnitude," he said.
"It will be a whole CBD parking strategy.
"With a growing city, which is good in one way, there are a few growing pains and it's just trying to manage it the best way that we can."
Cr Herbert said the study would reveal whether the city had a significant car parking issue or a shortage of car parks in the CBD.
"We're wanting to look at everything," he said.
He said the aim of the review wasn't to expand paid parking meters.
"If you want the CBD to be a place that's thriving and offers jobs you've got to have a level of convenience for people. You can't have them walking blocks and block in the winter," he said.
"You've got to have the capacity for them to park either inexpensively or free."
However, he said he didn't want to preempt any outcome of the strategy.
Cr Herbert said the review would look at the impact of the new free parking at the railway station and changes to Liebig Street and how that impacted on surrounding streets.
Nine new car parks will be added to the CBD, two of them free, with works set to begin on Sunday on a $20,000 revamp near the Koroit/Liebig Street roundabout.
The bus interchange was switched to Lava Street while Liebig Street was blocked during the CBD renewal project, and the council decided to make the move permanent.
The works will include six regular car parking spaces on the north side and on the south side there will be two short-term free parking spaces and an all-abilities car parking space which will require the installation of a ramp for wheelchair access.
The work is expected to take a week and footpaths will remain open with no disruption to passing traffic.
The council said it would give motorists coming to the city centre more parking choices and aligns with community feedback about the former bus interchange which favoured the spaces becoming a mix of general and accessible car parking.
The council's chief executive officer Peter Schneider said the work would involve the removal of a section of kerb on the north side of the street, with this demolition component to be done on a Sunday to minimise disruption to nearby traders.
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