HUTT CITY COUNCIL NEWS RELEASE

31 March 2017

One hour-free parking trial ends in central Lower Hutt

The one hour-free parking trial in central Lower Hutt comes to an end this Sunday (2 April).

The trial has been in place in the central city (HC2 time restricted shopper parking) since January 2016.

From Monday 3 April the rate in the HC2 time-restricted shopping area will revert back to the pre-trial rate of $1.50 per hour. For the first half of April parking wardens will provide a reminder to people that may be unaware of the change.

Hutt City Council consulted on the one hour-free parking as part of the Annual Plan consultation last year. It was decided the cost of making the trial permanent was too high, as lost revenue through parking charges was estimated at more than $900,000 per annum. If this cost was passed to ratepayers it would have added about $17 to the average residential ratepayer bill each year.

The economic data collected for the first ten months of the trial (January – October 2016) also did not demonstrate that one hour-free parking was an effective strategy to stimulate retail spend in the central city.

Council confirmed in December 2016 the trial would end in early April 2017.
For information on other parking charges in the city visit huttcity.govt.nz/parking

Hutt City Council is currently undertaking a city-wide parking review on the future parking demands that Lower Hutt is expected to face, the findings of this review will be presented to Council later in 2017.

ENDS

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