Rotorua Lakes Council to launch a free parking trial in the city centre’s key car park next month. It has also selected a new supplier for on-street parking metres and software.
The Pukuatua St parking building goes free from March 1 to April 30, aiming to lure more inner-city workers to the underused spot.
Businesses leasing spaces in the building will also get free parking throughout the trial.
Rotorua Lakes Council district development group manager Jean-Paul Gaston noted that the two-level building already provides some of the city’s cheapest all-day parking in the centre, yet it has failed to draw steady users.
“We’d like to see the building better used, with locals making the most of the free parking trial and ongoing cheaper parking rates,” Gaston said.
The building offers around 180 spaces and has recently been spruced up with extra CCTV and better lighting.
Gaston said the goal is to build drivers’ habits for using the facility, establishing ongoing patronage even after fees resume.
Charges will return to $1 per hour for the first hour starting in May, with the next two hours free.
More reviews are set before July 1.