Retailers hope free city parking will entice parents

Free parking is on offer in Tauranga again.

Free after-school parking is to be offered in Tauranga's downtown parking buildings in a bid to entice parents to shop in town once they have picked up their children.

The free parking from 3pm will be introduced on October 14 - the same day as the council ends its unsuccessful 11.30pm closing of the Spring St parking building.

It was part of a package of changes agreed at a recent meeting of the council. Councillors heard that the first 12 months of the late opening, to June 30 this year, had added $38,000 to costs.

The council opted for an earlier closing of 9pm Monday to Saturday because a maximum of only three cars were using the building between 9-11.30pm.

The new hours will reduce operating costs by about $17,000 a year, but hours would be extended for special events, such as the Arts Festival and Jazz Festival.

Mayor Stuart Crosby called for the free parking to be brought forward from the proposed 4pm because of the stimulus that 3pm would offer mothers after they picked up their children from school.

The 3pm time was mooted by retailers' organisation Mainstreet Tauranga.

Councillor Catherine Stewart said the council had to be careful not to rejig the times and prices because it was very confusing. There will be no change to closing times for the Elizabeth St parking building, which is 6.30pm Monday to Friday and 5.30pm on Saturday.