Loophole in new CBD parking restrictions

A three hour parking limit will come into force in the heart of the CBD from Monday. File photo.

From Monday, visitors to certain parts of the CBD will only be allowed to park for a maximum of three hours – but already there appears to be a loophole in the way the new rules will be enforced.

The new P180 time zones will be in parts of Elizabeth Street, Durham Street, Grey Street, Devonport Road, Spring Street and Willow Street.

The time restrictions mean a vehicle can be parked for a total of three hours on any one day in those streets. The parking meters will not accept payment for the same vehicle to be parked in the time restricted zone beyond three hours.

However, people can still pay for a second three hour block using the PayMyPark app or website.

Tauranga City Council bylaws and parking team leader Stuart Goodman admits people will be able to do this, but parking officers will be on the lookout for over-stayers.

'So even if you've paid for the extra time, you can still get a ticket if you're parking for more than three hours in the same zone.”

However, a source within the council told SunLive parking officers would have to chalk every vehicle that parks in these streets in order to monitor the situation.

Stuart says elected members have been looking for a way to make sure parking spaces are readily available for people who drive into town for shorter visits (things like shopping or business appointments).

'They are hoping that a three-hour time restriction will discourage those who work in the city from parking in the core retail area.”

He says time restrictions are one aspect of a broader discussion elected members have been having about car parking in the city centre.

'Other options considered by elected members were changing parking fees in the core retail area so it becomes more expensive the longer you stay; and extending the weekday parking charging period for the entire city centre from the existing 9am-3pm to 8am-6pm.”

The cost of parking on the street will remain $2 an hour. People will be able to go away and come back to park in the CBD several times a day, so long as it is not for more than three hours at a time.

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15 comments

TCC

Posted on 28-04-2018 07:56 | By maildrop

So they had lots of meetings and paid people to come up with something that doesn't work and is completely meaningless?


Good grief

Posted on 28-04-2018 08:07 | By pnicky

Do they want people to use the parks or not. On one hand we have a lack of people using the CBD and now council are preventing people from parking? Some of the decisions of our Council are embarrassing to say the least. Maybe we should add more car parks where a stupid museum is proposed. I know, lets put it to the vote with a pointless non-binding referendum!! Whoa, I could run for Council myself? Maybe Ill just further myself and study to be a professional chronic car tyre chalker instead. Looks like there may be a need for this......


That will be interesting...

Posted on 28-04-2018 09:01 | By groutby

....when the first round of legal actions come from being fined for being 'legally' parked in a park for which you have paid...keep an eye on them man (sorry, person) hole covers, you may just see a parking officer pop out of one with a clipboard :(


No consistency

Posted on 28-04-2018 09:08 | By waiknot

The biggest deterrent to downtown parking is the constantly changing parking rules.


Contract

Posted on 28-04-2018 11:15 | By Johnney

If council accepts a second payment in one day then they are contractually bound. They then would be at fault for fining you if they accept payment. You dont have to be a lawyer to work that one out.


just another brain fart

Posted on 28-04-2018 12:26 | By CC8

The incompetence of those advising council is only surpassed by the incompetence of those hiring the incompetent .When will they realise that no matter how they try to modify behaviour it will not work as planned. Newton's third law comes to mind : For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, problem is in this situation the reaction comes from thousands of people who all think differently and are unpredictable. When will these fools stop to think that people will just adapt to suit the situation and carry on with their own agenda. All this will do is increase costs and therefore drive workers and businesses and customers from the area formerly known as the CBD. Council driven inflation with NO BENEFITS!


Hey Council.......

Posted on 28-04-2018 12:35 | By Bruja

Here's an idea or two........1) create a central city parking building solely for workers of the CBD. (easy enough for them to prove where they work) They can lease them, free up so much parking needed for shoppers/visitors etc and the poor b.....y workers won't have to stress all day every day about their car-parking. I was a worker in the CBD 15 years ago and it was CHRONIC even then!!! 2) Set aside a piece of vacant land that is maybe not useful for anything else and create a place where workers can leave their vehicles and have shuttle buses to and from the space. Maybe 1/2 hourly buses from 7:30 till 9:30 and again from 4pm till 6pm (or similar). You can send my consultancy fee directly to me via SunLive's office ;)


No Way

Posted on 28-04-2018 12:51 | By Told you

I wont park down town because of their parking meters, too confusing for me and im only 76 years old.


3 Hour is right

Posted on 28-04-2018 12:51 | By Gaz

Yes shops want more custom and easy parking for that. Parking problem is with non-shoppers utilising park spaces for more than 3 hours, hence need to discourage these work business people with this limit to allow for shoppers to access parks.


Rocket

Posted on 28-04-2018 14:00 | By Rocket

More changes I don't think the council want people to shop in the CBD, Our work in the CBD. Far to expensive to park in town for the day. Cheaper parking required.


maggieanne

Posted on 28-04-2018 14:22 | By maggieanne

Interested to know how this affects people using a Mobility card, as they are valid for double the parking time, Does this still apply?


Check the tapes

Posted on 28-04-2018 20:40 | By Sg1nz

If you actually listen to the meeting. Council staff strongly advised against this change and as usual the elected members thought they knew better. TCC seem to have gone quiet on the new parking building though.


Total BS! Take,Take,Take!

Posted on 29-04-2018 10:41 | By String

3hrs? Try shopping with my missus! 3 hours is the time taken to decide which shop to return too :( On the upside I guess its my 'get out clause' to say "we need to go now" :) but seriously, its just another stealth tax. We know it but as per usual TCC think we are all stupid and don't realise it. Shame on you TCC. Maybe its time for you to make more parking, it appears we are getting more populated and you take the extra cash because of this yet don't return it to the infrastructure. Take,Take,Take!


This is the stupidest thing I have heard!

Posted on 29-04-2018 19:43 | By tga resident

This does not make sense on so many levels, it's totally backwards and dumb- a)why would they make parking more difficult for people who work in town, b) can someone tell Stuart Goodman that if the online parking app accepts payment then there is no case for a parking warden to give a ticket, that's both illegal and unethical, c) who would want to go shopping in the city centre and pay for the privilege, it's the most boring and uninviting souless city in the world, d) are the councillors going to rectify the loophole so that people can park with real established parking laws, e) how many people has this passed by and been signed off with such an obvious flaw, pretty scary if you ask me. This is like some comedy sketch, might as well have the wardens dressed up in red noses and clown wigs.


Why oh Why

Posted on 30-04-2018 11:55 | By Lvdw

would they implement a half ar$ed solution that has one or perhaps many loopholes, is my question?Why not make sure their solution doesn't make them look like fools.And lets not even get started about the Cliff Road museum proposal, because we ALL know there is just endless parking up there (NOT). Then you will have to be in and out of the museum in 3 hours or you will be fined (mmm good revenue gathering actually). Residents will no longer have the pleasure of parking on a street that they pay rates towards.. absolutely no problem at all.


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