Motorists will only be able to park in the Kogarah Town Square car park in Derby Street for a maximum of three hours.
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Kogarah Council maintenance staff were installing three-hour parking limit signs in the car park this morning.
Parking fees will double to $1 for each 30-minute stay; parking will be free for the first 30 minutes.
Motorists who spoke to the Leader this morning labelled the change as ‘‘idiotic’’ and ‘‘stupid’’.
The car park is mostly used by staff at St George public and private hospitals, and people who work all day at Kogarah.
It is also used by people attending medical appointments, especially those who are frail or too unwell to use public transport.
Comment is being sought from Kogarah Council, however, most people think the change is to help free up spaces in the car park and increase revenue from parking fees.
Business owners criticised the move this morning, saying staff who work all day would have to leave work to move their vehicles every three hours.
Medical staff who are unable to leave work during the day will have to make alternative arrangements.
One motorist described the move as a ‘‘double whammy’’ in reference to cuts to peak-period services and, in some cases, the removal of express trains to Kogarah.
The car park still works on a ‘‘pay and display’’ system.
Motorists were still able to pay for all-day parking this morning.
It is not yet known when the meters will be re-programmed.
At least one another car park at Kogarah — believed not to be the car park above the railway station — is going to a maximum five-hour parking limit.
Do you agree with the three-hour parking limit?
