New parking meters planned for Barnard St will offer more flexibility

Patrons of Timaru’s Theatre Royal and those using the South Canterbury District Health Board’s outpatient services block in Woollcombe Street, will be among motorists to benefit from car parking changes planned in June for Barnard Street and Woollcombe Street.

In a move to introduce more parking opportunity and fairer time zones of up to three hours, the Timaru District Council will install new parking meters in Barnard Street from George Street to Woollcombe Street and in Woollcombe Street from Stafford Street to Barnard Street extending the CBD’s metered parking area. Parking in these streets is currently time-restricted to a mix of P30, P60 or P120 and land transport manager Andrew Dixon says this has penalised those wishing to visit the theatre in the day time.

“Apart from a limited number of parks in the Barnard Street off-street car park, there is no parking greater than two hours close to the theatre,” Mr Dixon said.

“The parking meters will provide parking of up to three hours that is currently not available in this vicinity while maintaining good short-term parking availability.”
Mr Dixon said parking needs were dynamic and related to demand that is generally driven by businesses in the vicinity.

“As businesses and community facilities change their locations, so too do the parking needs.

“The relocation of the DHB service block is a case in point. This facility has generated new traffic patterns and the need for varying parking times.”
The fundamental principle of parking is to ensure that public parking facilities are effectively and consistently managed to ensure optimum use and fairness, he said.

“The proposed new meters will improve effective use of parking and ensure cost recovery is consistently and fairly applied in the Timaru CBD area.”
Subject to the delivery of the meters, the council plans to have the meters installed by Queen’s Birthday Weekend. However, preliminary works such as meter pole installation and road marking of parking spaces will be started soon, Mr Dixon said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media