COUNCIL will trial a one-hour parking limit at Cleveland sites for six months in an effort to free up spaces.
Parking has been a red-hot issue in Cleveland, with train commuters struggling to find all-day parks.
Redland City Council has previously been heavily critcised by residents for selling a parking site at Wynard Street and allowing parking behind the Cleveland Library to be used by a food outlet.
Council hopes that a six-month trial of 26 one-hour parking spaces at Cleveland will reveal if more short-term parking spaces will work.
A council spokesperson said council would determine whether or not parking restrictions would be enforced as the trial went on.
Generally, parking fines are $133.
Cr Peter Mitchell said that balancing parking time limits was one way of ensuring centres like Cleveland remained accessible.
"Currently, on-street parking in the Cleveland CBD is dominated by three-hour and longer parking options.
"This reflects past responses to parking, but the needs of the Cleveland town centre, visitors and businesses have changed over time.
"An over-emphasis on long-term parking can limit business turnover and frustrate those in the community who are unable to conduct their business because they cannot easily access parking.
"To help strike a balance, council has agreed to reduce the three-hour limits to one hour for 26 parking spaces in Middle Street and Bloomfield Street."
Seventeen parking spaces on Bloomfield Street will run from the Westpac Bank (on the corner of Bloomfield and Middle streets) to Stephen Dibb Jewellers.
Six Middle Street spaces will run from Gisler's Pie Cafe and Subway to Westpac Bank and three will be outside Bloomfield Street News.
Cr Mitchell said they were high demand spaces.
"Some businesses cater to quick turnover customers, while others may need more extended parking times for their customers," Cr Mitchell said.
"Having a mix of timed parking spaces is designed to cater for these differences."
The Redland City Bulletin asked council if parking fines would be waived during the trial but staff did not answer the question.
Cr Mitchell said parking was not the only solution.
"Good public transport access and walking and cycling-friendly spaces are also vital ingredients," Cr Mitchell said.
"I expect the newly announced Redlands Coast Active Travel Reference group I will be chairing will also make an essential contribution to better urban transport, accessibility and active travel outcomes.
"... The data collected from the trial will be important."
