Smart parking occupancy signage rolling out

Published on 23 February 2024

Smart car park occupancy signage is rolling out across Launceston to help reduce traffic congestion and to assist commuters to find a park more easily.

City of Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood said the project would see new electronic smart signage installed at major arterial entrances to the city, as well as at Council-managed multistorey car parks.

The signage will display occupancy levels in the City of Launceston's four CBD multistorey car parks.

"This new smart signage will be installed on the East Tamar Highway, Bathurst Street and West Tamar Highway," Mayor Garwood said.

"The new signage is linked to a series of sensors in four of the Council's multistorey car parks, and will allow commuters and visitors to the city to see the number of car spaces available, before getting right into the city.

"The car parks which will be linked to the signage are the C.H. Smith Car Park, the Paterson St West Car Park, the Paterson St East Car Park and the Elizabeth St Car Park.

"Each of these car parks offers all-day parking, which we want to promote more for those commuters and CBD workers who are looking to park in the city centre for longer than on-street metered parking allows.

"The project involves the installation of smart occupancy signage on the arterial entrances to the city, but also on the car parks themselves.

"This project aligns with the City of Launceston's Innovating with Intelligence Strategy, which helps to guide the future direction of new smart technologies across our services and facilities, providing better outcomes for our community.

"We hope the signage will help to reduce stress levels and congestion when people aren't sure where they're going to park.

"We also hope it will raise awareness and encourage some people to consider the wide range of parking options the City of Launceston provides and to choose the option that's best suited for them — whether that's parking at the Northern Inveresk Car Park for just $4 per day and catching the FREE Tiger Bus into the CBD, taking advantage of the Elizabeth St Car Park's $7 early bird parking, or the free parking in our multistorey car parks between 3.30pm and 5.30pm each day."

Some of the new signage will begin operation today, with the remaining signs to go live in coming weeks.