Rotorua parking app PrestoPark launched

Rotorua parking meter. Photo / File

The long-promised Rotorua parking app PrestoPark has been unveiled.

Rotorua Lakes Council announced the launch of the app on its website and Facebook page.

It comes in the midst of a petition to instate free parking in the city's CBD to encourage shoppers to support local businesses, which will be discussed at the next council meeting.

On the council's website, it said the PrestoPark app provided an additional and contactless way to pay for parking in Rotorua's inner city.

The app is available for both Apple and Android users and can be searched for in the app store by its name, PrestoPark.

The app has been developed by the same company that i-Park used for the council-approved parking machines, the website said.

There will be an extra fee to use the app, as there is when paying for parking with a debit card.

This is to "cover the development and ongoing maintenance costs as well as the service fees incurred".

"Rotorua Lakes Council has set the fee at 10 per cent of the transaction value, up to a maximum fee of $0.50."

The launch of the parking app is the next step in the roll-out of the council's controversial upgrade to the city's parking system.

Earlier this month, it was revealed the council received about 100 calls a week regarding problems with paying for parking, with each call taking six to 10 minutes.

It was also revealed the council received 373 complaints regarding parking policy, parking operations and parking machines between May 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020. Of those complaints, 204 related to parking meter issues.

On the council's Facebook page, the launch of the app received mixed reviews.

Some said they were stoked to see it finally being released while others were put out by the surcharge to use the app.

One person said: "Just park in shopping mall and walk across. Saves apps and money. Shops need your business to survive. Spend it with them and not a parking app."

Another person already reported issues with the app, saying they tried to sign up for the first time but were told their email address was already in use.