When the Town of Victoria Park set out to modernise its parking system, its goal was simple: to create a better experience for the community while ensuring the town stayed ahead of technological change.
The Town of Victoria Park in Western Australia recently undertook a bold, industry leading move that has now earned the council national recognition, transforming the way local governments think about parking management.
In partnership with EasyPark and Orikan (PayStay), the Town of Victoria Park became one of the first local governments in Australia to launch an integrated multi-provider parking payment system. The project has since delivered major operational efficiencies, boosted community satisfaction, and positioned the town as an industry leader.
Manager of Business Services, Trent Prior, said the council’s achievement stemmed from a commitment to collaboration and innovation.
“Over a three-year journey, we’ve kind of had a vision, we’ve executed the project management framework,” Prior said.
“We’ve delivered the outcomes and ultimately been recognised now with an award in the parking industry. It’s nice to close off that whole loop, to know that it’s been an investment worth undertaking.”
Building a system that gives people choice
For years, the parking industry has traditionally operated under a model of single-vendor dominance. The Town of Victoria Park set out to change that by creating a competitive ecosystem where consumers could choose between multiple parking apps throughout the town.
“Ultimately, from the town’s perspective, we wanted to provide consumers more choice when selecting pay by phone applications,” Prior said. “That is to improve their convenience, but also to promote customer experience.”
EasyPark (now part of the Arrive Group) and PayStay were selected through a formal quotation process that assessed multiple options.
“These two were our preferred applications following the procurement process,” Prior said.
Both apps had recently undergone major refreshes, giving the town confidence in their innovation and ongoing development.
By offering two competing apps with different convenience fees and user interfaces, Council has handed control back to drivers. This flexibility, combined with consistent branding and a shared five-digit area code across platforms, has created what Prior called a “simple, seamless experience.”
Innovation through integration
Behind the simplicity of the new parking experience lies a technical integration.
The town’s new open system connects the separate platforms through a unified back end that enables real-time data sharing while maintaining system independence.
Prior said bi-directional integration was a key goal from the start.
“There was a lot of user acceptance testing happening that slightly delayed our launch, to ensure that from a customer’s experience, it was seamless,” Prior said.
This integration not only supports the town’s 30-minute free parking policy across all systems but also eliminates opportunities for users to “double dip.”
“We needed to manage that across three platforms so they couldn’t double dip. There was a lot of testing to ensure that was restricted to the first 30 minutes per user,” he said.
The result is a smarter, data-rich parking network that supports evidence-based decision-making. Real-time occupancy data now helps identify underpriced zones, allowing the town to refine its demand-based pricing model and ensure spaces are used efficiently.
A smooth transition and a cultural shift
Transitioning to a fully cashless, ticketless parking system could have sparked community resistance. Instead, the Town of Victoria Park’s thoughtful approach ensured a smooth rollout.
The council removed all cash parking meters, reducing the total number of meters from 137 to 81, while migrating 1.5 million annual transactions to digital platforms with just 16 community complaints in the following year.
This success was no accident. It followed nine months of accessibility consultation, six months of community communication, and a multichannel awareness campaign supported by on-the-ground staff. The process demonstrated how careful planning and empathy can help residents adapt to change.
Internally, the shift also transformed the town’s parking culture. When Prior took over the department in 2022, he was determined to create a more customer-focused team. Regular team meetings, performance discussions and open communication channels have since eliminated high staff turnover. The department now has a stable, motivated workforce that takes pride in delivering better service to the community.
Setting a new standard for local government
The results of the Town of Victoria Park’s innovation have been striking. Despite a 41 per cent reduction in parking meters, total parking income has increased by more than 33 per cent. Digital payment adoption has jumped from 22 per cent to 70 per cent, and the new system operates at zero additional cost to ratepayers.
Just as importantly, the model has captured national attention. The town earned the Excellence in Innovation and Technology – On Street award, celebrating a project that not only reshaped local parking management but also challenged long-standing industry norms.
“Both vendors being open to new ideas, considering the town’s strong commitment to our vision and goals, has enabled us to successfully deliver on those promises,” Prior said.
“We were really pleased to partner with EasyPark and Orikan and I think this is the new norm that local governments across Australia will now be adopting.”
For Prior, the project represents more than operational success – it’s about leaving a legacy.
“The way we’ve gone about it is to leave no stone unturned and to be open to innovation. We really feel like this is a legacy project that will now be available for everyone else to follow for the next decade.”
