Funds available for trailerboat parking solutions

With more than 204,000 boat trailers currently registered in the State, Transport for NSW is keen to free up parking spaces in high-demand areas where, it seems at this point, cars and non-boat trailers have more rights.

To this end, Transport for NSW has announced grants totalling up to $5 million are now available to help launch new boat trailer storage solutions in key Sydney suburbs.

The $5 million in funding will be available through the Boat Trailer Storage Grants Program to help tackle "the growing issue of long-term boat trailer parking in residential streets," says Transport for NSW.

So this Sydney resident wandered the local streets and, alas, counted more refrigerated vans, caravans, bike trailers and other non-boat trailers in his local area than there were boats. Have we been singled out? How many non-boat trailers are registered in NSW?

"This program will help identify new options for boat owners to store their prized possession out of harm’s way, while also keeping the neighbours and passing motorists happy," a Transport for NSW spokesperson said.

"Boat ownership is growing steadily every year, so we need to address the current demand for parking and also look ahead to the future." Which, we should add, may well be less active cars and therefore more cars lying doggo on the streets.

Of course, keeping boats on trailers is the most common form of boat storage in NSW. There are 204,000 boat trailers currently registered with Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and, yes, a significant number of those are parked on residential streets.

But the most common form of road use is the car and, with car sharing becoming more popular, cars are just sitting there more often.

In NSW, the Impounding Act 1993 was amended with effect from July 1, 2016, to allow council and other enforcement officers to ‘opt in’ to take impounding action against boat trailers parked for more than 28 days within declared areas.

Trailers may be exempt from these requirements where a Residential Parking Permit has been issued by a council and is displayed on the boat trailer.

The Canada Bay City Council, Northern Beaches Council (in the former Pittwater Council area only) and Woollahra Municipal Council have applied the new impounding powers as part of a pilot program since July 2016.

As a resident of the Northern Beaches Council, there is no Residential Parking Permit scheme in my area. So every 28 days I would have to move my boat from in front of my house to make way for, say, someone visiting the area to park their car.

Transport for NSW adds that additional councils will commence applying the new powers from October 1, 2016, following appropriate consultation with their communities — whatever that is — whilst councils requiring additional time for consultation may commence in early 2017.

The Grants Program is open to all interested parties including councils, businesses, community groups and the boating industry. Priority will be given to proposals focused on areas where the Impounding Act amendments are in effect.

Applications under the Grants Program will close on December 2. More information on applying for a grant, including application forms and assessment criteria, is available at the Boat Trailer Storage Grants Program.

Whatif no-one is interested in creating boat-trailer storage solutions? Can you see councils really getting involved? Where does that leave the trailerboater heading away for holidays then? And what's wrong with parking alongside golf courses, cemeteries, parklands and so on.

Meantime, here's further information from the Office of Local Government on its new boat trailer impounding powers.