Letters to the editor: Parking a frustration

Parking in the city. Photo/file

Margaret Murray-Benge and Kelty Flay (Opinion, November 20) have hit the nail on the head regarding the Spring St carpark.
Have councillors any idea how frustrating it is for us mere mortals to have to drive past floors and floors of empty spaces all marked "reserved" in the hope of finding one last gap to squeeze into on the roof?
We used to enjoy driving into the CBD to patronise shops, restaurants etc. Now we avoid it like the plague. It's not worth the hassle.

Paul Chapman
Te Puna

Ghost town

The town is dying, but not because of lack of parking. It's the lack of shops.
They are all moving out, and more will go as well with the extension of Bayfair, Papamoa and now The Lakes.
Millers is no longer there and when Farmers moves it's going to be a ghost town.

J Drake
Bethlehem

Follow Taupo's lead

Has your council exhausted all options regarding CBD parking? Has it ever looked at Taupo's current system, where virtually all CBD parking is monitored through sensors in the road, below the vehicles? Here a time limit can be set and changed to whatever duration the parking signs indicate.
Then, with a vigorous approach, like Taupo's, the council can collect offenders' infringements at a reasonable rate, of say $10, for the first overstaying hour (minimum fee for excess stay). It will keep all camps happy and may well drive an enormous amount of consumer traffic to the (presently a little sad looking) inner city. The cost of inserting these meters can finance itself, just like the previous and current road tolls did.

Rene Blezer
Taupo