Better parking planned in Christchurch

Press, 4 March 1982, Page 6

Better parking planned in Christchurch

A proposal that could mean greater on-street parking turnover in the central business district was recommended by the Christchurch City Council’s works and traffic committee yesterday. Councillors agreed that time limit changes in different parking meter zones could mean a better service to the shoppers and motorists coming to the city centre on other business.

They said that some meter charges should be increased, with the ability soon of meters to take both -5c and 10c coins, and that enforcement of time limits should be cut by two hours — for an hour in the early morning and an hour in the late afternoon.

A recent survey of innercity parking meters . had shown that the typical time of a vehicle’s stay for any purpose was from 30 to 40 minutes.

Under the proposed change, 108 more 60-minute parking meters would be introduced close to main shopping streets. That would reduce the number of 30-min-ute meters in the city centre from 638 to 530, and increase the number of hour meters to 823.

The third metered zone, allowing two-hour parking, would remain unchanged with 704 meters. Meter enforcement hours - now from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

on normal shopping days - would be changed to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Friday evenings, enforcement would stop at 8 p.m. That : would allow theatre-goers and shoppers to get by with only one payment after 7.30 p.m. . All 5C meters are .being converted to also take 10c coins. When that was completed, fees would rise under the proposal to bring onstreet parking charges in line with most off-street charges for short-stay parking. Additional money gained from the increase would be used to finance the purchase of land for future off-street car parking,' and the construction' of those parking facilities. . ?

,The new charges would be 10c for 15 minutes . on 30 minute meters (now 5c for 10 minutes), 10c for 15 minutes on hour meters (now 5c for 10 minutes)' and 10c for 30 minutes on two-hour meters (now 5c for 20 minutes). Councillors agreed with a staff report that there was “a strong element of equity” in that method of creating funds for off-street parking, since the money was obtained from those who actually used the streets and parking facilities. New 60 minute parking meter spaces would be in Manchester Street (69 meters) and Tuam and Colombo Streets (39 meters).

The last parking meter fee rise was last year, but that was the first since 1972. The latest proposed rise would mean a doubling of the cost since 1972, less than the inflation rate during that time. „) • . Councillors were told that . the rate of provision of. off-, street parking had been less than the growth in demand. Motorcycles More parking for motorcycles, especially in the evenings, was needed . near the Savoy Cinema Centre, councillors were told by the Waimairi Motor Cycle Club. Club members said that evening parking was needed'’ in a place where someone could keep an eye on cycles subject to vandalism and theft of parts. A petition signed by Mr J. Bennett, the club’s president, and 279 other persons, was submitted to the committee. The club said that the removal of one car-parking space near the cinema could make room for more motorcycles that could be kept under surveillance by traffic officers and Mr Bennett,, who lives in the nearby Warners Private Hotel. The Traffic Engineer (Mr M. L. Gadd) said he would report next month on whether more space that could be easily watched, was available in the area, ’ ‘