Tauranga parking: Prices reduced for parking buildings

A Tauranga City Council parking building on Elizabeth St. Photo /Andrew Warner

It will cost less to use the parking buildings in Tauranga city centre from July 1.

Elizabeth and Spring streets parking buildings will be free from 5pm to 6am on weekdays and remain free all weekend and on public holidays, Tauranga City Council said in a statement.

The hourly weekday rates will also drop to $2 an hour for the first two hours and a maximum of $2.50 for each additional hour, making parking in the buildings for longer than two hours cheaper than on-street parking.

The change is being introduced following consistent parking availability in the buildings, which have only been reaching 65% to 75% capacity at the busiest times, the council said.

The council’s parking manager, Reece Wilkinson, said introducing free evening and weekend parking was unusual for a big city and the council hoped it would encourage more people to come into the city centre.

“Our data shows even at peak times the parking buildings at Elizabeth St and Spring St are not operating near capacity.

“We hope reducing the hourly rates in the parking buildings will encourage more people to use them as a convenient, low-cost parking option in the city centre.

“Now if you’re out for a shop or long lunch, parking for over two hours will be significantly cheaper in the buildings than on-street parking.”

The buildings are also “getting a spruce up” with colourful stairwells, better wayfinding signage, additional lighting, easier pedestrian access, and more CCTV cameras.

The parking building upgrades followed additional changes in city centre parking over the past year, including the introduction of city-wide free parking all weekend, a change to lease structures to free up more car parks for the wider community, and the installation of electronic parking signs at the main entrances to the city.

“We know sometimes it might not feel like it, but there are more parking spaces in the city centre now than in June 2023, with more than 300 additional car parks coming later this year,” Wilkinson said.

“Our data shows that even at peak times there are consistently vacant spaces in the city centre and it’s important that as our city centre continues to develop people know where the available parking spaces are.”

Parking options in Tauranga city centre and cost (from July 1, 2024)

Spring St parking building – 321 all-day spaces

• $2 an hour for the first two hours, a maximum of $2.50 for each additional hour
• Free 5pm-6am on weekdays
• Free all weekend and on public holidays

Elizabeth St parking building – 526 all-day spaces

• $2 an hour for the first two hours, maximum of $2.50 for each additional hour
• Free 5pm-6am on weekdays
• Free all weekend and on public holidays

On-street – Over 1000 spaces (various time limits apply)

• $2 an hour for the first two hours, $5 per additional hour
• Free after 5pm on weekdays and free all weekend

Dive Cres – 150 all-day spaces

• Maximum daily charge $8
• Free after 5pm on weekdays and free all weekend

TV3, Wharf St – 45 all-day spaces

• Maximum daily charge $12.50
• Free after 5pm on weekdays and free all weekend

Cliff Rd – 166 all-day spaces

• Maximum daily charge $6.50
• Free after 5pm on weekdays and free all weekend

New car parking coming in 2024

• The new off-street Devonport Rd carpark will open later this year and include over 100 car parks and sheltered bike parking
• The Hamilton St carpark will open late 2024 and will include at least 200 public car parks

All city centre parking will remain free on weekends and public holidays. On-street time restrictions still apply from 8am-6pm Monday to Sunday.

- SunLive