Zucco calls for apology over parking

THE Hobart council CEO’s plan to hood parking meters has been met with mixed reactions, with many happy to see the meters suspended, but others saying the decision should have been made sooner.

North Hobart Traders Association vice president John Kelly said the council suspending the meters as part of eight recommendations to revitalise North Hobart was a positive step.

“We congratulate the CEO on a commonsense report,” Mr Kelly said. “This is a big step forward and it’s going to give some confidence back to the traders.”

But Mr Kelly said the precinct had suffered since parking meters were installed earlier this year.

A petition was launched urging the council to remove the meters, resulting in a motion put to council that they should be suspended.

That motion was defeated and the council chose to wait for a report by Hobart council CEO Kelly Grigsby before taking further action.

On Monday it was revealed the report recommended they be hooded.

“Once again it’s taking far too long,” Mr Kelly said.

“The whole thing could have been avoided if proper consultations had been done.”

Alderman Marti Zucco who moved for the meters to be suspended, said the council should admit it was wrong.

“We wasted four weeks,” Mr Zucco said.

“Six weeks ago, the traders put up a petition but that was after contacting the council on numerous occasions with no action.

“There’s nothing wrong in saying we got it wrong.”

Mr Zucco said business owners could have been spared further financial pain.

“Giving the delegated authority to the general manager four weeks ago would have resulted in the same thing happening,” he said.

“The general manager could have hooded these four weeks ago.”

Mr Zucco said councillors needed to take responsibility.

“I call on all elected members who failed to support

my motion four weeks ago to apologise to the traders,” he said.

Deputy Mayor Helen Burnet said it was positive.

“I think it was a really good outcome … the decision probably wasn’t an easy one in many ways but the response was quite a swift response,” Ms Burnet said.

Ms Burnet said the report addressed more issues than parking.

“I know there are businesses who are doing it tough and felt the parking arrangements were not the best thing,” she said.

“The response is a nuanced response, we’ve got more of a feel of what some of the problems are.”