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New public parking prices for much of Auckland took some drivers by surprise.
From Monday, Auckland Transport (AT) is increasing its parking prices by 50 cents per hour.
Some areas of the city that had already seen a recent price increase, including Devonport, Westgate, Eden Terrace South, Freemans Bay, Edgerley Ave in Parnell and McNaughton Way and Delta Avenue in New Lynn, are excluded from change.
Prior to the change of AT paid parking, the parking price ranged from $ 0.50 to $ 6.00 for a single hour, depending on where in the region you parked.
“I didn’t know I had risen so much, but I had heard the news that the prices were rising,” said Craig Miller, who travels to Central City two to three times a week.
“But what’s not going up these days, that’s it, you know, so I don’t see the rates falling for sure.”
He does not think this will push people away in certain areas, despite the increase in cost.
“I think it’s just, you know, if you need to be here, you need to be here and I have to go to work, so it’s just a fact that I have to pay what it is,” he said.
Aimee Kamphurs said she traveled to Auckland’s CBD to spend her birthday with her children, spending $ 27 for public parking lot on Wynyard Quarter.
“It hurt a little, yes, I won’t lie.
“It was like, cool, cool, the first hour is free and then kind of continued, $ 27 later.”
She said the price walk away from trying to park in the city again.
“Oh, yes, definitely, especially when it’s not all the time, you know, I’m not here making money or anything.
“Normally, I took the trains, but they are all closed and I also hear that they are going up, so that kind of make you want to go anywhere.”
Today’s public parking price changes coincide with passenger trains in Auckland that are not on April 12 to April 27, as work persists before the city Rail Link opens next year.
Kiwirail said it would allow the teams to build critical updates and conclude the great infrastructure in the Auckland subway.
Niki Smith drove to Red Beach’s Auckland city center north of Auckland.
“I had no idea it was happening. I already thought it was expensive, so yes, that’s a little scary.
“When we arrived, I mean, it’s usually always an expensive day anyway, you know, with everything you do when you are in town.
“So yes, the parking lot goes up to add that. It’s stressful.”
She said price changes were starting to rethink where she parks her car.
“Particularly, you know, if you are parking for several hours, it starts to increase, for sure,” said the Red Beach resident.
Auckland Transport refused to be interviewed by RNZ about 50 cents per hour of increasing public parking lot.
Instead, he said RNZ to his media communication on March 31 of price changes.
In this statement, parking service manager John Strawbridge said the demand for parking throughout the city remained high.
He said the cost of execution and maintaining the city’s parking lot increased and needed more money to finance services without increasing rates.
“Our operating costs have increased by 13 % and we are answering approximately 30 % to more Acklanders requests to answer questions that are frustrating them, such as blocked sidewalks, trails and clearways.
“We also invest in technology infrastructure and compliance tools to ensure that parking spaces are used as intended and responsive to network problems.
“Public parking prices are sustainably adjusted and in many ways. The annual review analyzes data, including market conditions, economic conditions, operating costs and considering socioeconomic factors. We also make demand adjustments based on demand and do it throughout the year.
“This is similar to the approach adopted every year to review public transport tariffs, which we have also recently changed and ensure that users are paying a small part of the Auckland parking execution and maintenance costs so that this does not fall into taxpayers.
“Auckland’s advice is striving to maintain low rate increases, and a small increase in parking prices is a way to support this.”
AT parking prices last increased in August 2023 at $ 1 per hour.
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