Shortage of Wellington CBD car parks forces prices up

Wellingtonians will now pay 12.5 per cent more to park in the central city. Photo / Getty Images.

A lack of car parks in Wellington's CBD is getting the blame for a parking price rise.

Wellington City Council is putting up parking fees from today, from $4 an hour to $4.50.

It will raise an extra half-a-million dollars for the council per year.

WCC transport portfolio leader Chris Calvi-Freeman said the 12.5 per cent increase was in direct response to feedback.

"We've been told by residents, retailers and businesses that there's a lack of parking availability in the high-occupancy areas of the CBD.

"To maintain a healthy retail and commercial sector in the central city we have to be smarter and more effective in how we make the maximum use of limited parking spaces.

"Increasing fees in the central city will help us do that.

WCC strategy committee chair Iona Pannett said the increase was fair, as parking fees hadn't gone up in 13 years.

"Inflation, fees in other major centres, increased demand and traffic management flows were all considered in the officers' report we considered.

"They've calculated that the 50 cents rise will create just over half a million dollars in revenue a year, which will be used to contribute to the cost of road maintenance.

"Alternatively, rates would have needed to increase by 0.2 per cent to come up with this amount."

The rate increase affects the central part of the city, bounded by Bunny St, Lambton Quay, Bowen St, The Terrace, Boulcott St, Willis St, Dixon St, Cuba St, Jervois Quay and Waterloo Quay.