Hamilton businesses fume over no free parking move - ‘the city centre will die’

Friday, 1 December 2023

Hamilton businesses fear the city centre will die as a result of council’s proposal to scrap free parking in the CBD.

One business owner has called the plan diabolical and others fear shutting shop in the absence of foot traffic.

City councillors on Wednesday voted - ten against two - to bring back the parking fee, but implement it from January 1, 2025.

Councillor Ewan Wilson said it would give businesses and customers another six months to prepare for the change.

Wilson said the parking was never free and subsidised by the ratepayers.

“This was initially introduced as an eight-month trial back in 2017, and this jolly trial has now cost us approximately $5.6 million.”

Hamilton City Councillor Ewan Wilson said parking was never free in CBD and subsidised by the ratepayers.

Plus it hadn’t worked, he said.

“I accept that the business community in the CBD will feel aggrieved respectfully.

“It's like giving a kid, who's five, a can of Coke, letting them drink it and then take it away.

“They won't like it, but the reality is, it's not sustainable.”

A short-term parking charge of $3 an hour for the first two hours and $6 an hour after that, where parking spaces have greater than 85% occupancy rate, is considered in the draft 2024-34 Long Term Plan.

And $1 per hour for the first two hours (and $6 per hour thereafter) where parking spaces generally have less than 85% occupancy.

Also, all day parking charges of up to $12 are suggested to achieve 85% occupancy in zones already being charged for.

However, Andrea Downey, who owns True Store on Barton Street, said it would have an “enormous impact” on customers.

“The offering of two hours of free parking is inviting, especially when we are trying to rebuild the city centre.

“Maybe once it does sort of come back up to its maximum or its potential, then we should rethink it.”

Colin Hancock, owner of Trek ’n’ Travel on Victoria Street, said re-instating parking charges could affect customers’ willingness to buy.

Downey said the move would kill many businesses in CBD.

“Right now we're scratching and finding it hard as retailers to get people into the city.

“So why this is an option to make it harder for shoppers and for business owners just blows my mind.

“I think that's going to be quite diabolical.”

Councillor Geoff Taylor called the decision to scrap two-hour free parking “enormously short-sighted”.

Lou Roulston at Sills + Co was shocked by the decision.

“It's going to draw people out to The Base, and we need customers in the CBD.

“The city centre will die… and I can understand people shutting down if there's no foot traffic.”

The owner of Victoria Street’s Trek ‘N’ Travel outdoors store Colin Hancock was concerned about dealing with customer parking complaints again.

Re-instating charges could also affect the willingness to make purchases, he said.

Hamilton Central Business Association general manager Vanessa Williams said the businesses were still recovering from Covid-19 and now was not a good time to put another (parking) barrier.

“I don't think it's a forever parking solution, but it's one that I don't believe now is the right time to take away.”

Williams said parking fees could push shoppers out of CBD.

Councillor Geoff Taylor, who instigated the free parking move, was one of the two councillors who voted against its removal.

He said the decision to scrap it was “enormously short-sighted”.

“I'm very disappointed.

“Given the huge amount of money thrown around over the last two days, they've made a huge deal about getting some revenue from 333 car parks.

“We spend $400,000 on one raised platform but cut something which retailers and the public enjoy to save a similar amount of money each year. It makes no sense to me whatsoever.”