P120 free inner city parking launches today
2 December 2013
Next time you get a parking ticket in Rotorua's Heart of the City, it might be for a prize rather than a fine.
As part of the introduction of the new Park Rotorua programme, one carpark will be randomly drawn every weekday in December and the owner of the vehicle parked there will receive a ticket - with a prize. Park Rotorua Winning Ticket competition prizes have been generously donated by Heart of the City retailers.
Rotorua's P120 free parking in the inner city comes into effect today [December 2], providing free parking for a maximum period of two hours. A range of other options are available for longer term parking, including metered and unlimited-time free parking on the city fringes, as well as paid unlimited-time parking in the Pukuatua Street Carpark Building.
Wireless sensors have been installed across Rotorua's inner city parking spaces in recent weeks. The sensors simply detect when the parks are occupied and for how long, relaying information to parking wardens' handheld units.
This is an exciting initiative designed to provide better parking options for shoppers, visitors, workers and inner city businesses as part of what we're doing to revitalise the Heart of the City and the whole district, says Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick.
We want to create a vibrant central city to provide a better future for Rotorua.
Rotorua District Council Inner City Enterprises manager Nick Dallimore says the new parking programme has been developed in response to public feedback on the current annual plan, while it is also a key part of proposals to revitalise the inner city.
We want to make it easy for more people to come into the heart of the city, he says.
Establishing a P120 free parking zone means people can come to do their shopping or their business knowing they're likely to find a park in the centre of town and that they can park there for up to two hours, free of charge.
Those who need to park for longer periods still have plenty of options within just a short walk of the town centre, while there are still mobility, P15 and loading zone spaces across the inner city, Mr Dallimore said.
We're encouraging central city workers to use the Pukuatua Street Carpark Building, or metered or unlimited-time free parking spaces outside the P120 area, to leave the heart of the city for shoppers, business clients and visitors.
Mr Dallimore says the two-hour maximum within the P120 zone will be firmly enforced to ensure the new programme brings the most benefit for everyone. He says parking wardens will also continue to monitor warrants of fitness and vehicle registrations.
Data will be collated from the P120 and other parking zones in the inner city to help develop future parking plans.
Click here for more information and to view maps showing the range of different parking options, and the Rotorua District Council traffic bylaw.