Rotorua's successful experiment with two-hour free parking in the downtown area has boosted Tauranga retailer Bill Campbell's hopes that it would work here.
The first seven months of Rotorua's 18-month free parking trial has reversed stagnation in the city centre and restored confidence to retailers, a Bay of Plenty Times investigation has shown.
Mr Campbell responded that Rotorua's experience showed that free parking for two or three hours would reverse the trend of Tauranga's outlying shopping areas taking the cream out of the CBD.
"I think it would be a roaring success," the free parking advocate said.
Both cities had suffered from new suburban shopping centres drawing customers away from traditional downtowns where people paid to park - leading to large numbers of empty shops.