Last week, the council changed restricted parking hours adding an extra two and a half hours per day, and included weekends and public holidays. Parking restrictions signs were altered from the previous 8.30am-6pm to the new 7am-7pm.

While community groups have questioned the decision and lack of community consultation, the council has defended its actions claiming that the hours were extended based on feedback from businesses seeking greater access to public parking.

"[The council received] community feedback requesting consistent parking timeframes across Nelson Bay and to make smart parking technology available to the public for longer periods each day," a council spokesperson said.

"The current approved hours of operation are 7am to 7pm, seven days per week which was approved by the Local Traffic Committee (consisting of councillors, council staff, NSW Police Force, Transport for NSW and the local state member of parliament for the area in which the proposals are made) in October 2020 by majority vote.

"The potential impacts on trade were considered and the hours of operation for the smart parking scheme were decided as the right balance between many competing demands. The provision of 15 minutes free parking for all road users and the free park permit for locals were important factors in this consideration.

"Since commencing, there has only been one business approach council to reconsidered the parking hours and this was a non-hospitality based business."

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Bay businessman Heath Jones, a member of both the parking panel and Nelson Bay NOW, said that he had not been consulted about the changes.

"We had been made aware that time frames could be altered and that there would be a period of monitoring what works and what won't, but I was not made aware that times would be altered," he said.

Business Port Stephens president Leah Anderson said that there had been no discussion with the chamber around the changes to hours before they were implemented.

"We only picked it up and saw it after the changes were made. We asked the council at a meeting they had with us about paid parking how they had come up with the changes and if they had consulted with anyone," she said.

"They advised it was all done and approved by traffic management committee. What they did consult with us about was the free parking for workers as we made it very clear that there needed to be enough free parking within walking distance to town for workers and this they agreed with us on (and they were going to produce a map to show workers where they could park for free all day)."

Regular commuter into the Nelson Bay CBD and recently retired chamber member Peter Clough was also critical of the lack of consultation while questioning the council's decision to include weekend and public holiday parking restrictions.

"There is a perception that visitors to restaurants in the evening are now required to pay for parking. Why does it have to be seven days a week? Were the business community, cafe and restaurant owners consulted?"

For anyone who has not registered for free parking go to portstephens.nsw.gov.au/smartparking.

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