Money from Parking

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28936, 2 July 1959, Page 10

Money from Parking

Parking meters continue to prove their worth in helping to solve one of the Christchurch City Council’s most pressing traffic problems. Meter charges, now totalling about £40,000 a year, are being used primarily to buy off-street parking lots, and also to install additional traffic lights. Some citizens may consider that all the proceeds should go towards providing more parking spaee; but it is hard to cavil about the purchase of such necessary amenities as traffic lights, which are an equal convenience to motorists. The increased tax on petrol has not affected parking revenue in Christchurch. Yet it was estimated recently that petrol consumption throughout the Dominion has fallen by about 14 per cent

From this it appears that motorists have economised by abandoning some of their longer journeys rather than by reducing town running. The full benefits of the parking meters have been delayed because of the council’s agreement to pay all the capital costs —£s2,6o9—from less than two years’ earnings. However, the council has adopted a prudent and far-sighted policy of buying suitable land for central parking lots as it becomes available; and the time should not be far distant when the erection of multi-level parking buildings can be considered. The continuing flow of revenue from the meters will help to ensure that the parking problem in Christchurch receives the attention it warrants.