DCC looking at parking fee hike

PARKING costs in central Dunedin could jump by up to 50% on some meters.

The increases could negatively affect business in the CBD, the Otago Chamber of Commerce says.

A Dunedin City Council staff report recommends that street parking increase by between 50c and $1, depending on the area.

If adopted, the changes would take effect on July 1.

Council transport strategy manager Nick Sargent said the charges had been stagnant for 10 years.

The council report said the proposal addressed the ‘‘significant period of time since a fee increase’’ and began the process of reviewing on and offstreet parking costs in the central city.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand puts inflation in the past 10 years at 17%.

The proposal indicates halfhour parks on Princes and George Sts would increase from $1.50 to $2 per 30 minutes.

Parks in the city’s ‘‘core zone’’ would increase from $3 to $4 per hour, in the ‘‘inner zone’’ from $2 to $3 and in the ‘‘outer zone’’ from $1 to $1.50.

Allday parking in the outer zone would rise from $5 to $6.

The increases would bring an extra $1.5 million in revenue to the council per year.

The council will discuss the proposal tomorrow.

Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dougal McGowan said the cost could negatively affect the behaviour of shoppers in the central city.

‘‘It’s supply and demand. When prices go up, people will change their behaviour.

‘‘There could be less money spent in shops because there’s more money spent in parking meters.’’

A more positive step for retailers would be to shorten parking limits.

There would be retailers with various opinions on the changes, and the chamber would discuss the plan at its next retail committee meeting, he said.

The increase is partly to pay for a $1.73 million increase in costs for the transport department.

These relate mostly to planning work for the central city, and tertiary, bridge and cycling projects.

It will also spend an additional $333,000 on new personnel equalling 5.6 fulltime equivalent staff.

This includes an extra transport planner and a parttime role supporting the LED streetlight renewal.

A new fulltime role will coordinate parking management across the city and run ‘‘regulatory processes to make parking changes’’.