28 June 2006 2 page

First new Pay-and-Display machines for High Street

The first of Christchurch’s new Pay-and-Display parking machines start working in High Street today. The area between Manchester and Madras streets is being used to test the new machines.

Christchurch Mayor Garry Moore was the first to use the new machines that accept coins, credit cards or cell-phone TXT, giving drivers greater flexibility in how they can pay for their parking.

“The new machines are very easy to use. You just select your payment option and follow the on-screen instructions, collect your receipt and place it on the passenger-side of your dashboard,” Garry Moore says.

The new Pay-and-Display machines allow three payment options and the receipt also acts as proof of purchase or expenditure for businesses. The machines will be operational from today but the TXT option will take about a week before it can be used.

“The new machines offer an improved service for regulating short-term parking. However, if your stay in the Central City is going to be an hour or more it may be easier to use our parking buildings, with the advantage of the first hour free at The Crossing, Lichfield, Manchester and Farmers parking buildings,” Mr Moore says.

It is important drivers remember to display the receipt (if they don’t, they can receive a $40 fine). However, if they are late in returning to their vehicle the fine is still $12 as now. Fines are set by Government legislation.

For txt or credit card payment there is a 50c surcharge -- a fee charged by the administration company.

The remainder of the Council’s parking meters will be replaced over the next few weeks and will start operating around the middle of next month (July).

Each new machine covers about eight parking spaces so users should not need to walk more than four car bays to pay for their parking. This new system also means the number of parking meters on the street will be reduced from 1700 to about 400.

The new machines are solar powered and provide on-line fault diagnosis which means any machine requiring attention can be repaired within about an hour.

The replacement of the city’s parking meters was scheduled over the next six years. This was brought forward because of the imminent change in coinage. The new machines take the new 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins proposed for introduction in July. They will continue to take the old coinage until 1 November.

ENDS

© Scoop Media