Return of 2 hour parking ‘more relaxed’ for shoppers
A month after the return of 2-hour free parking in the city centre, there are positive signs of activity, but not everyone is noticing a difference.
After the previous council reduced free parking to only one hour in 2023, General Manager of the Hamilton Central Business Association Vanessa Williams has been a leading advocate in its revival to 2-hours, saying “two hours free on-street parking removes one of the barriers people feel when deciding whether to come into Hamilton’s central city”.
Williams said although statistics are not available yet, she has seen a good turn over regarding parking spaces around the CBD since the extended parking was reinstated on July 1, allowing for a steady flow of visitors to central businesses.
She remarked on customer feedback saying, “shoppers are now more relaxed when out in the city, enjoying their time there without fear of a ticket”.
Wintec Media Arts student Francesca says it allows her to “spend less money on parking” and makes it convenient for when she only has 3-hour classes. She says, “it’s hard to get a park within the school grounds, and the walkable distance from the street parking to my class is great”.
However, Poppies Hamilton, a local bookstore, hasn’t noticed much of a difference regarding attendance of guests. Spokesperson Alison did comment that “it’s not so much that there are more customers, but people are so relaxed when they’re browsing now… they can take their time instead of dashing in and out”.
Similarly, one business in Hamilton, the Central Waikato Society of Arts, which operates a store and gallery at the Arts Post building, has noticed little change with the new parking. A spokesperson said, “we haen’t noticed a difference as we have consistant foot traffic plus our regulars who attend our art classes”.
Williams said the 2 hour option provides ease, convenience, and accessibility for visitors, “whether they are popping in for a coffee, meeting friends for lunch, shopping, attending an appointment, or staying a little longer to enjoy what’s around them”.
To offset the revenue loss of the new policy, the fee of hourly parking after the initial 2-hours has increased to $6 from $3 and is a part of the city council’s plan to improve parking for the wider Hamilton area.
