Technology that monitors timed public parking is set to be introduced in Charlestown as part of a traffic management plan adopted by Lake Macquarie City Council.
The plan, which was voted on at Monday's council meeting, includes changes to parking, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure in the suburb.
The timed parking technology is set to be introduced at the Tallara and and Smith street car parks. Electronic signage will also be used to indicate available spaces.
Line marking will be put in for street parking in areas of high demand, including around some residential driveways.
Cr Kevin Baker said the plan had been a "long time coming", but had concerns it wouldn't fix all of Charlestown's parking problems.
"We do have a big parking problem in Charlestown," he said. "As the medical precinct in Charlestown grows, with the popularity of the shopping centres and as main streets start to come back to life... I am concerned that we are going to see more issues with parking there even with this plan going in place."
But he said the smart parking technology would stop people overstaying the allowed parking times.
The technology will also help collect data on parking occupancy rates to inform future parking management.
In terms of pedestrians, council will seek approval from Transport for NSW to create a 40km/h, high-pedestrian activity area between Pearson, Ida, Milson and Frederick streets excluding the Pacific Highway. Council will also investigate an off street bus interchange and other bus stop upgrades in the area.
Cr Barney Langford said while it was difficult for council to produce a transport plan without having control over public transport, he believed the plan was a positive outcome for the community.
He pointed out that most of the 65 responses received during the exhibition period were supportive of the recommendations, but noted a concern raised that the plan may lead to paid car parking.
The plan noted that if parking occupancy rates during peak times were found to consistently exceed the target of 85 per cent - as adopted in the Lake Mac Parking Strategy - then council may consider introducing paid parking.
"I think it would be a very sad day for this city when and if we ever introduced paid car parking," Cr Langford said.
Councillors on Monday also recommended the public exhibition of a draft Walking, Cycling and Better Streets Strategy for endorsement at the next council meeting.
The strategy includes new, wider footpaths; a 254km bicycle network and proposed 30km/h design speeds (which differ from sign posted speeds) for identified shared streets across the city.
Related: Riding towards a better cycleways network in Newcastle and Lake Mac
Cr Langford said the strategy was the best process he'd been involved with in his eight years on council as it had been developed "with and by the community".
Cr Baker was the only councillor to object to the strategy, flagging concerns about proposed 30km/h speed limits and pop-up cycleways.
"While there are some great things in this strategy ... there are some design principles that really do concern me," he said.
"I'm not sure if anybody else has seen the issues that pop-up cycleways have had within the Sydney area.
"We need to make sure we learn from other's errors and make sure that doesn't happen here.
"One of the things that does concern me is that we're looking at local streets being designed for 30km/h. I don't think that is the best outcome for our local streets.
"While I am aware and highly concerned about the interactions between pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles; we do also have to realise that we are a big city, we do have lots of people moving around and that vehicles will be the primary means of moving around our city for some time into the future.
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