Last of big city free parking under threat

A rare free inner-city parking haven is likely to disappear into the history books in the next year or so if Waitakere City opts for paid parking.

The West Auckland city, the fifth-largest in the country with a population of nearly 190,000, may well be the only city in the country still offering free parking on inner city streets.

It has no parking meters in the streets but after a trial of three, all-day, pay and display parking areas near the Henderson town centre, paid inner-city parking was on the agenda, said Waitakere City Council spokesman, Dai Bindoff.

That could include parking meters for the first time in the area's history.

Mr Bindoff said the off-street, $3-a-day parking was well patronised and the council was likely to consider paid parking in the next six to 12 months.

Historically the council never wanted to make people pay for parking, he said.

Now it was seen as an incentive for people to get out of their cars and into public transport.

He said a detailed proposal on paid parking had yet to be finalised but it may include parking meters.

"Pay parking is now on the agenda, for sure," Mr Bindoff said.

He said the council was an environmental council and wanted more people to use public transport.

More than 65 per cent of the work force left the area every day and that amounted to 30,000 cars a day.

The population was likely to double in less than 40 years, bringing more traffic chaos and congestion.

- NZPA