Ratepayer funded CBD parking rejected | Bay of Plenty News | Local News in Bay of Plenty

A proposal that Tauranga ratepayers fund the $2.7 million needed to introduce free parking into the downtown area has been rejected by the city council.

Tauranga City Council yesterday unanimously opposed shifting the costs to ratepayers.

Instead, the status quo of user-pays for carparking looks likely to continue until at least July next year.

In the meantime, a working party comprising representatives of Mainstreet Tauranga, the council and other organisations with interests in the CBD will try to find a solution to parking issues.

Paying for parking has become a pivotal issue in efforts to rejuvenate the CBD. Retailers want a more even playing field with the rest of the city's shopping centres, where parking is free.

Yesterday's decision lifts the threat that each residential ratepayer could end up paying an extra $29 a year and each commercial ratepayer an extra $461 a year to fund the $2.7 million to achieve free parking.

The council supported Mainstreet Tauranga's proposal for a working party, also comprising representatives of industry professionals, the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce, the Property Council and the City Centre Action Group.

Mainstreet manager Kirby Weis said the working party would seek long-term parking management solutions and alternative funding options. It was unrealistic for yesterday's meeting to make a decision on such a complex and crucial problem.

Cr David Stewart said the CBD needed a hierarchy of parking and his feeling was that paid parking was likely to stay.

"That is an issue for the working party to get its head around. At the end of the day, we need parking turnover and a vibrant downtown."

He sounded a note of caution, saying the issue had been around for a long time and the council seemed to be going over old ground. "How many workshops do we need and how long will it take?"

Mr Weis said the quicker the issue was resolved, the better. He envisaged two or three workshops, starting next month.

Meanwhile, a presentation to the council from transport consultants MR Cagney said the risk of free parking with time limits was that downtown workers would snap up prime spots and shift their cars throughout the day to avoid fines.

In areas of high parking demand by shoppers, paying for on-street carparks was a more effective management tool than free parking with time limits.

This had been proven by a trial in Auckland, where turnover was an average of 26 per cent higher where there was no time limits on metered parks, compared with free parking with time limits. Occupancy was about 90 per cent for both scenarios.

Grey St's average of 93 per cent occupancy was close to the ideal of 90 per cent, ensuring shoppers quickly found a convenient carpark. This contrasted with Devonport Rd's main shopping block, which was nearly always full during the day.

The consultants said that where occupancy was about 100 per cent, retail revenue suffered.