Parking Meter Policy – the other side Shopping centres provide free parking for customers. This does not mean that the cost of the parking is free (someone has to pay); it means that it is free to shoppers. The cost of providing car parking includes the purchase price of the land, fees paid to subdivide (and one requirement is a set number of car parks per sq m of building), and rates are paid on the land which include the car parking area. These outgoings are recovered from the tenants/retailers.
The cost to maintain parking areas in shopping centres is borne by retailers, in the city the council/ratepayer pays.
A fair scenario in the city could be that retailers offer parking refunds to customers who purchase in their shop (bravo Farmers!). After all, retailers in shopping centres pay for their customers' car parks through their rent. City shoppers could reasonably expect city retailers to pay for parking privilege too instead of the overburdened rate payer picking up the tab… Or just keep the meters!
Cherie Luxton, Papamoa.