Free parking in Perth is getting harder to find as paid parking is rolled out across the metropolitan area.

Growing traffic congestion and competition for parking, fuelled by the State’s population growth, has prompted an increasing number of councils to introduce paid parking in previously free areas.

The latest free bays to go are in Mt Lawley, where the City of Stirling has opted to introduce paid parking at public carparks on Beaufort and Field streets.

It comes after the introduction of paid street parking in the Midland CBD last year by the City of Swan.

The City of Vincent last year introduced paid parking on part of William Street and at carparks at View and Wasley streets, while the City of Bayswater is considering paid parking at “hotspots” around the Maylands town centre, according to its draft parking strategy.

Other councils to have rolled out fees in recent years include the Town of Victoria Park, which introduced paid parking on streets around its cafe strip, and Stirling, which previously introduced paid parking at Herdsman Business Park and around the Glendalough train station.

Outside the metropolitan area, Albany recently introduced paid parking at the airport to discourage long-term parking and the Shire of Gingin last year voted to introduce paid parking at the Guilderton foreshore for visitors.

It is not just councils looking to impose fees for parking, with a private landowner reportedly working on plans to introduce paid parking in a Mandurah CBD carpark. The State Government introduced paid parking at train stations in 2014.

For some councils, paid parking is about raising revenue to fund maintenance. Others say it encourages the use of public transport and discourages commuters from parking all day.

Stirling mayor Mark Irwin said the latest move would help manage the limited number of bays available for high-demand areas and encourage people to consider cycling, walking or catching public transport.