Parking fees to double in Hastings

The cost of parking in parts of Hastings is to double while motorists will continue to pay nothing in Havelock North.
The Hastings District Council's development and environment committee agreed to double parking charges in parts of Heretaunga Street, Queen Street, King Street, Market Street and Russell Street, despite deputy mayor Cynthia Bowers's attempt to have the decision put on hold.
The vote, which was also against the wishes of Hastings City Marketing, came after a separate item proposing the introduction of all-day parking charges in Havelock North was withdrawn from the agenda for the council to do more work on the scheme.
Asking for a district-wide parking review, Cr Bowers said some of the $85,000 deficit for traffic wardens was accrued in Havelock North and motorists parking there should also contribute.
"Let's deal with it in a holistic and fair manner," she said.
Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule said the $85,000 deficit would otherwise have to come from rates, and it was likely parking meters would be introduced in Havelock North in six months, after a council review had been completed.
Cr Bowers said if the council planned to put meters in Havelock North without conducting a review, she said, they should do it now.
But resource management manager Mike Maguire told the committee the purpose of parking meters was not to collect revenue but to encourage traffic to move on and there was only anecdotal evidence that meters were required in Havelock North.
"We need the substantial data," he said.
Havelock North ward member Dinah Williams said the 100 percent parking increase in Hastings was "peanuts".
Parking fees will double in Heretaunga Street, between Market and Nelson streets and between Russell Street and Karamu Road, Queen Street, between Market and King streets, King Street, between Eastbourne and Queen streets, Market Street, between Eastbourne and St Aubyn streets, Russell Street, between Eastbourne and Queen streets.
The committee also agreed to extend parking to four hours, from one hour, on Karamu Road, between St Aubyn Street and Avenue Road, Queen Street, between Karamu Road and Queen Street and Warren Street, between Heretaunga Street and Queen Street.
The committee decided to apply parking charges between 9am and 2pm on Saturdays as well as 9am and 5pm during the week.
It also decided to remove the three-hour time limit in the city's eastern pay and display car park and increased leased parking space fees from $50 a month to $65.