RACHEL PINDER
Parking fees may be slashed in Napier, after a last-minute addition was brought before councillors on Wednesday.
Cr Tony Jeffery called for a decision to allow planning managers to reduce parking charges, saying commuter parking was a big problem in Napier.
Shoppers and workers in the city had to take priority,
he said.
"Tiffen Park used to be 50 percent full. Now only one or two cars park in it each day.
"And the Dickens Street west carpark at Mitre 10 has gone up to $1.
"I believe we need to delegate authority to our planning managers to change parking areas, fees and charges where appropriate, only if those fees and charges are static or decreased.".
Cr Dave Pipe was surprised at the unexpected addition.
"We don't know anything about this, it's just come out of left field. But we could give it some consideration," he said.
Napier Mayor Barbara Arnott said a reduction could only be good news for residents.
"If we opt to do it this way, parking fees can only go down, which can only be a benefit to our people," she said.
Cr Lutter agreed it was a good move.
"We do have problems with carparking in the CBD. We should look at areas which are being under-utilised and whether we need to reduce charges to gain occupancy."
Councillors unanimously agreed to carry the decision.
