New $6 parking zones in Central Hamilton are designed to make all-day parking easier, but come at a cost to motorists.
New $6 parking zones in Central Hamilton are designed to make all-day parking easier, but come at a cost to motorists.
Hamilton Central Business Association general manager Vanessa Williams says new $6 all-day paid parking locations could mean fewer people choosing to work in the CBD.
Sections of Norton Rd, Rostrevor St and Memorial Drive were included in paid parking zones by Hamilton City Council members at the Traffic, Speed Limit and Road Closure Hearings Panel on February 15.
The proposal for all-day paid parking in the central city was initially put forward, and consulted on, as part of Hamilton City Council’s 2020/2021 Annual Plan.
It would mean an expansion of the all-day paid parking zones.
In a media statement, the council said the all-day paid parking zones would help meet the increasing demand from those working in the area or spending long periods in the central city.
The all-day paid parking zones were last extended in September 2023, with the introduction of six locations on sections of Grantham, Rostrevor, Tristram and Vialou Streets, and Hamilton Parade.
Williams said she understood the challenges the council was facing but the central city also had a lot of challenges, including increased expenses, a difficult business environment and getting workers back into town.
Hamilton Central Business Association general manager Vanessa Williams.
“When the all-day paid parking was introduced, it was introduced to a couple of the under-utilised areas in the CBD.
“When we’re now looking at areas that are outside of the CBD, I find it a bit of a tough ask. We’re trying to encourage people not to park in the central city. These streets are knocking on the fringe of the CBD, but they’re outside of the boundary of it. People are choosing to park there and walk in - they’ve never been charged before.
“We’ve got challenges [regarding] getting people to come back into work. The hybrid working environment is very much in play.
“If you’re now saying to people, ‘You can park outside of town but we’re going to charge you’, the knock-on effect of that could very well be that people decide to come into town for work less. That has a huge impact on the economic environment.”
The new locations have been selected based on high occupancy in nearby parking areas.
Parking changes would be identified with signs and road markings.
Other signage and pavement decals were also in place, and the council’s parking team was handing out flyers to educate road users about parking in those spaces.
Council city transport unit director Gordon Naidoo said Hamilton was growing rapidly, and there was an increasing demand for car parking in the central city.
“As Hamilton’s population grows, it’s critical to have infrastructure in place that supports people travelling for work, to shop or to eat. The central city needs to be easy to access and get around safely.
All-day paid parking has a flat rate of $6 and would apply on weekdays, from 8am to 5pm. Payment could be made via the PayMyPark app.
Any decision about the central city’s two-hour free parking would be made during the Long Term Plan process.
