19 Oct 2015

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Christchurch City Council's Parking Compliance Team has introduced a new initiative offering free parking to people shopping in the central city.


The initiative, called Park Smart, gets underway in November.

The Council's Unit Manager Regulatory Compliance Tracey Weston says that each week, during a four-month trial period, free parking locations will be advertised on the Council's website ccc.govt.nz/parking.

The off-street parking will be free for two hours every week but the location, day and time it is available will change regularly.

Park Smart is designed to encourage people to plan their parking using the Council's website.

"People have to keep going back to the website to find out where the free parking is," Ms Weston says.

"Maps are available on the website so just in case people can't get into the free carpark, they can see other places to park and how much it will cost," Ms Weston says.

"So often we find people come to the central city to shop but they haven't brought change for the parking machine. So Park Smart gives them an opportunity to think about parking before they leave home," she says.

In addition, the Parking Compliance Team will have vouchers for two hours' free parking which they can give to people parking within the four Avenues.
"If we see someone about to put money in the machine, we can step in and give them free parking instead. This rewards them, in a sense, for doing the right thing," she says.