How to read a meter, part one

TUCK your shirts in, spit out your chewing gum and be on your best behaviour.

The first of six lunchtime Hobart City Council classes was held yesterday at Salamanca Square to explain how to use the council’s new parking meters.

The sessions, where officers are available for two hours, included demonstrations using an operational parking meter and provided an opportunity to ask questions, as well as to address any confusion around how parking infringements are incurred.

Hobart City Council director of city innovation and technology Peter Carr said there had been a 4-5 per cent uptake of the EasyPark app, and he expected that to grow.

The parking meters offer multiple payment options, including coins, credit cards — and the EasyPark app — which allows users to pay for only the time they actually use via their smartphone.

“Burnie uses the same app and has an 8 per cent usage rate and we expect Hobart to get between 10-20 per cent in the next few years,” Mr Carr said.

“I know there has been some negativity around the meters but that may have served to make the less digitally-minded citizens a little more scared of them. “We are here to help.” The sessions come in the wake of mass confusion about the new meters.

Criticisms have included that the screens are hard to read, the machines are difficult to operate, and that a $3 minimum charge if paying by credit card is unreasonable.

The next session will be held at Salamanca Square tomorrow from 11am-1pm. The four remaining sessions will be held at Franklin Square on February 26 and 28 and Wellington Court on March 5 and 7, all between 11am-1pm.

There has been some negativity around the meters [that may have made] the less digitallyminded a little more scared of them — PETER CARR