Details about Council's Echo Point Parking Precinct Plan.

Update on the Echo Point Parking Precinct Plan

As the impacts of COVID-19 ease across the Country, visitors from the regions, interstate and international, have been on the increase to the Blue Mountains' most popular locations, such as Echo Point.

The Echo Point Parking Precinct Plan has two primary outcomes:

  1. Establish paid bus and coach parking near Echo Point; and
  2. A new parking permit policy for residents and businesses.

Both of these outcomes were deferred due to the impacts from COVID-19 and the severe bushfire season during this period.

1. Establishment of paid bus and coach parking near Echo Point

Council is establishing additional paid bus and coach parking along Echo Point Road and Panorama Drive, Katoomba. The new parking bays will extend the existing bus and coach parking along Panorma Drive and will replace the existing eight-hour parking. 

A map showing the changes to bus and coach parking is provided below.

New parking signage will be installed on Saturday, 24 September 2022. There will be minimal, if any, disruption to pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The enforcement of the new conditions will be phased in to allow a period of adjustment to the new arrangements.

Exisiting parking permits (red and blue) cannot be used within the bus and coach parking zones. 

paid bus parking image.png

2. A new parking permit policy for residents and businesses

Council is not proposing to make any changes to the existing permit schemes currently in place. Further advice will be provided on this matter when available.

Council still believes this is the best way forward to manage the cost of tourism infrastructure. 

Despite the Blue Mountains being one of the most visited tourist destinations in Australia, Council currently recovers a small amount of revenue from visitors. This means ratepayers are currently subsidising visitor infrastructure.

The new policy helps rectify this.