Tauranga City Council hits pause on parking proposal and Cameron Road bus lanes

Aerial photo of Tauranga. Photo / NZME

Several planned parking initiatives in the city have been deferred after feedback from the community.

The roll-out of the part-time bus lanes on Cameron Rd has also been delayed, the Tauranga City Council said in a statement today.

Commission chairwoman Anne Tolley said they had listened to the community and noted the frustration around these issues that affect residents, workers, businesses, and tourists in Tauranga.

“There has been concern within the community about potential changes to parking in both the city centre and Mount Maunganui.”

In September, the Bay of Plenty Times revealed the council was considering charging for parking in the beach and shopping areas of Mount Maunganui.

Central Tauranga workers also expressed their concerns at plans to extend paid parking to the CBD fringe areas.

“This has been raised with staff by residents, workers, and businesses in both parts of the city. These concerns have often been compounded by a lack of other available parking, roadworks occurring in the local area, or a lack of safe and viable alternatives to travel by car.”

Tolley said a pause and reset was necessary and a report on recommended future actions would be presented to the council in March 2024.

“This additional time will allow for a more holistic examination of how parking initiatives may be compounding issues and causing concern in the community. It also allows time to prepare and adjust to changes in a more measured manner.”

As well as deferring the parking project implementation, the council has pushed back the roll-out of time-limited clearway bus lanes on Cameron Rd, scheduled to start in January.

Tolley said Cameron Rd Stage One, due to be completed by the end of this year, had caused significant disruption to businesses and the community, with congestion and parking in and around Cameron Rd a key concern.

“We are acutely aware of the issues facing many Cameron Rd businesses because of the major road, water, and wastewater improvements under way.

“In order to provide some relief, the introduction of the clearway lanes will be deferred and we will be working with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council to ensure that when we are ready to do this, it’s beneficial to both bus users and motorists who travel along Cameron Rd.”