In recent years, the way people use Lilydale Road in Healesville has changed with an increase in pedestrians and visitors to the area following the success of the Four Pillars Gin distillery and other restaurants and businesses on the road.
In 2019, Council engaged with the local community on the proposed design and requirements of Lilydale Road. The road was transformed to include connecting footpaths, 64 formalised parking spaces, improved drainage and lighting and street trees.
Upon completion of the road, Council officers further engaged with the community in 2024 to discuss proposed alterations as concerns were expressed around the parking bays and width of the road.
Those alterations are now taking place including relocating three trees, re-line marking the bays to increase the width and rounding the corners of the remaining tree bays.
The parking will remain at the 90-degree angle as part of the safety requirements to force traffic to slow down and to maintain a similar number of parking bays.
These alterations will result in a reduction of the number of parking bays from 64 to 61, whereas angled parking would result in a loss of 19 spaces leaving only 45, which does not support the requirements for the increased visitor numbers in the area.
Council officers and contractors also visited the businesses on the road in recent weeks about the alterations and subsequent notifications were provided with details about the works which are anticipated to take approximately three weeks.
Council can confirm that all parking bays on Lilydale Road will be available during the long weekend, with work temporarily paused.