Free parking in city to continue
Hamilton’s free parking deal looks set to stay for another year - just.
City councillors were evenly split on whether to pull the plug on the trial of two hours free in the CBD.
Councillor Dave Macpherson broke the deadlock at last week’s growth and infrastructure meeting, using his chairman’s casting vote to keep the trial going until June 2019.
Free parking proponent Cr Geoff Taylor asked his colleagues if they would rather return to the days when ‘‘you could shoot a canon down the main street and not hit anybody’’.
Shoppers and shopkeepers like free parking, he said.
It’s helping change negative perceptions, and council now has better data from parking sensors.
It means less parking revenue for council, he said.
‘‘But, in my view, it’s a price that’s infinitely worth paying’’.
The trial started in October 2017 and continuing it means council will miss out about $900,000 in parking revenue in the coming financial year.
But there is a possibility the decision could change - three councillors were away for the vote and the recommendation has to go back past full council.
Council needs another 12 months of ‘‘figures and stats’’, Macpherson said.
He pointed out 27 per cent of people surveyed by council said they’d come into the CBD more often since free parking was introduced.
Parks are being used more, general manager of city infrastructure Chris Allen said, but not to the point of being overcongested throughout the CBD.
Council was aiming for 85 per cent park occupancy: high enough to create a buzz but not make it impossible to find a park.
In April 2018, the overall CBD average was 77 per cent but certain streets - including Ward St East and Worley Place - had higher rates, a staff report said.