East Melbourne parking improvement works

Explore how we're making parking simpler and more available in East Melbourne.

The City of Melbourne first engaged with the East Melbourne community in July and August 2024 to better understand the parking challenges in the neighbourhood. We then engaged the community again in August 2025 about a set of proposed parking changes.

Feedback from the 2024 engagement was reviewed alongside an expert parking report conducted by transport specialist Stantec, parking data from the local area and the policies of the Parking and Kerbside Management Plan.

As a result of the feedback we received about the proposed changes to on-street parking in East Melbourne, we have updated the changes that will be rolled out later this year.

These changes can be seen below and aim to improve parking in East Melbourne. Read more on the community consultation page.

East Melbourne parking improvements

We heard:

“I am supportive of changes.”

Parking will be updated to 7am-10pm Monday to Sunday across East Melbourne to respond to increased pressure, with these exceptions:
- Parking adjacent to Fitzroy Gardens will be updated to 7am - 7pm Monday – Sunday.
- Parking that currently ends later than 10pm (e.g. 11pm) will be retained.

We will adjust some parking controls to increase consistency across an area. See area maps below for adjustments.

Unpaid short stays of under two-hours (e.g. 1/2P) will generally be maintained until event parking controls are updated.
Longer stays of three-hour (3P), four-hour (4P) and untimed parking (P) will become more consistent.

We heard:

"Paid parking meters will destroy the residential character of our street by introducing a transactional, regulated activity more suited to a commercial precinct."

Between Victoria Parade and Albert Street and block of Clarendon, Grey and Powlett Streets all green-sign parking will be updated to two-hour meter (2P Meter) parking.
Broadly, resident permit exemptions and permit zone allocations will be retained.
- No decrease will take place. As we review available space, we expect that there will be a minimal increase in resident exempt bays, particularly in Area 14.
- Locations may be updated to simplify the layout of parking bays and conditions in streets.
The map below highlights areas where green-signed parking will be updated to paid parking.

We heard:

“Very supportive of proposed changes which would make it fair for the disabled, drop-off situations and in general.”

Short stay parking, such as ten-minutes (P10) and 15-minutes (1/4P), will be reduced in paid parking areas. In place of these bays, we will introduce ‘15 minutes free parking’ when you log your parking session with the EasyPark app for any paid parking bay. Read more about where and how to get 15 minutes free.
“No Parking” bays will support pick up/drop off to help business and food delivery vehicles access businesses and residences.
We will adjust Loading Zone controls to a consistent 30 minutes between 7am and 4pm, Monday to Friday. After 4pm on weekdays and all day on weekends, Loading Zones will be general parking for all users, increasing parking availability at these times.
Accessible Bays will be provided at key locations including near health services, public facilities and transport.

We have already committed to the following which address key concerns from the East Melbourne community:

Develop a Strategic Parking Permit Policy that updates current parking permit framework.
Refresh and communicate our parking enforcement approach.

Based on community support following the August 2025 engagement, the City of Melbourne will further investigate an approach for an event parking overlay. This will include discussions with stakeholders across the neighbourhood and those who travel to the area. We will also speak with local Councils that have event parking overlays in their municipalities to better understand the scope of these overlays and how they can be managed.

We will then develop proposed parameters for event day parking. We anticipate that this will take some time. No event day parking changes will be introduced in East Melbourne until further research has been completed, and a proposed approach is shared with community.

Now that the parking changes for East Melbourne have been finalised, works to roll out these changes will begin in late-2025.

Contractor letters will be sent to property occupants 1-2 weeks before work begins on the street. Always check the signs when you park to see what conditions apply.

The changes we're making are not 'set and forget'. We will review them each year to make sure the new parking conditions are working well.

After this first round of parking changes have been completed, an annual review will be scheduled. This gives the community time to adjust to the updated conditions before we review their performance and amend them where necessary. Through this process, parking conditions may evolve over several years.