28 November 2019
Mornington Peninsula Shire is trialing a new smart parking approach to decrease congestion in and around Rye.
The trial aims to make accessing the Rye precinct easier and more convenient, while providing a better parking experience for both residents and tourists.
Installation of the smart technology is already underway in Rye, with the trial anticipated to commence in January 2020 and conclude in June 2020.
Mornington Peninsula Shire Mayor Councillor Sam Hearn said “with over 6.3 million tourists to the Mornington Peninsula annually, townships are under increasing pressure to provide a quality and fair parking experience for both visitor and resident.
“As you drive into Rye, prominent electronic signs will display how many parking spaces are available in the Rye foreshore and commercial precinct and direct you to where these vacant spaces are.
“By using this innovative technology, visitors and residents can drive straight to the areas where parking is available and avoid circling around looking for a park in the busy precinct,” concluded Mayor Hearn.
The Rye Smart Parking and Amenities Trial will test the performance of:
- in-ground and camera car parking bay sensors
- mobile electronic parking availability signage
- a smart parking availability App.
Nepean Ward Councillor Bryan Payne said “smart parking technology has been proven to reduce travel times by up to 10% and reduce car emissions in other cities and townships. We look forward to seeing how the community and visitors find this trial and hearing their experiences”.
Nepean Ward Councillor Hugh Fraser said “Not only will we be testing smart technology sensors in carparks, we’ll also be installing sensors to monitor the demands of bins, BBQs, toilets and walkways in Rye. This will help us to be responsive during high demand periods and to provide a better service to Rye visitors”.
Visit to learn more about how the trial works, what carparks and streets are included and how you can download the Smart Parking Availability App in time for January 2020.
The results of the trial will be evaluated with the potential of permanently deploying the smart parking technology in Rye, as well as extending the technology to other high demand areas of the Peninsula.
The Rye Smart Parking and Amenities Trial offers opportunities to aggregate data on traffic movements, congestion, hotspots and create unique value-added services. Data will be collected on parking events and does not identify individuals.
This project is funded in partnership with Mornington Peninsula Shire, RMIT University, DM Roads and a Federal Smart Cities and Suburbs Program grant.
