Council Still Monitoring City Parking

The Parking Strategy Implementation Working Party has been methodically working its way through the consideration of approaches made on behalf businesses and road users unhappy with the city's new parking regime introduced a month ago.

Since then Councillors Guest, Brown, Noone and Bezett have met a number of times to consider requests for changes or re-instatements, approving some with immediate effect.

The Working Party will continue to process approaches from local businesses before considering residential issues.

Elsewhere the effect of the use of the four hour limit Pay and Display machines continues to be monitored and an analysis of that data will be reviewed towards the end of September - three months after introduction.

The new parking machines incorporate technology sophisticated enough to provide, together with enforcement data, an accurate account of parking patterns at each space - including how often the spaces are used.

The Working Party is anxious that all road users are fully aware of the consequences of the various new regulations.

In order to get the most out of the current system parkers should be aware:

There is a five minute period of grace on all Pay and Display and P5 Loading Zones which allows parking without payment for five minutes.
The number of designated Loading Zone spaces has been significantly increased (although some have been relocated), from 32 to 54, with the prospect of a further half dozen newly designated Loading Zones in the offing.
P5 Loading Zones are no longer limited to Goods and Service Vehicles - any vehicle may use these designated areas to set down or pick up. With the five minute period of grace this means parkers have a ten minute window of opportunity before incurring a fine.
It is not compulsory to park for four hours - the Pay and Display machines, like previous meters, will provide parking for as long as you pay for it, up to a maximum of four hours i.e. you can buy 50 cents or $1 worth of parking at the tariff indicated on the meter.
The best and cheapest option for those seeking parking in the CBD remains the DCC's parking buildings at Wall Street and in Great King Street, the YMCA building in Moray Place and the Lower Moray Place building opposite First Church.

The Working Party will continue to respond to expressions of concern and working with DCC staff in seeking solutions, while monitoring the overall effects of the new regime.

Contact details

Contact DCC on 477 4000.

Last reviewed: 08 Aug 2009 7:00am