1 December 2010
Shoppers and business owners flouting parking rules while Christmas shopping in Te Awamutu and Cambridge can expect to receive parking tickets.
Waipa District Council’s planning and regulatory manager Wayne Allan said the Council had recently received several informal complaints about retailers parking all day in restricted parking areas, including car parks for people with disabilities.
It meant shoppers looking for spaces couldn’t find them close to the stores they wanted.
“As the demand for parking in town increases with summer holidays and Christmas shopping, so to do complaints to Council,” Mr Allan said.
“There is a combined total of more than 1950 parking spaces in Te Awamutu and Cambridge, including a combined total of 53 for people with disabilities. Approximately 453 of these are restricted to timeframes ranging from five to 120 minutes so that people can get their shopping done and then free-up the space for someone else,” Mr Allan said.
The Council was working alongside the Te Awamutu and Cambridge Chambers of Commerce to ensure members were aware of parking rules, and to remind them that parking spaces were for the benefit of customers. For the good of their business, and to avoid being ticketed, people working in town should not be parking in restricted car parks, Mr Allan advised.
In a recent survey by the National Research Bureau, 75 per cent of Waipa residents said they were satisfied/fairly satisfied with the district’s parking facilities. Some wanted more ‘policing’ to ensure people did not flout the rules.
Council had responded to that feedback and during summer, enforcement officers would be regularly patrolling and monitoring time restricted parking areas in Te Awamutu and Cambridge.
“Any vehicles found to be parking beyond the specified time or without identification in a car park for disabled persons, will receive an infringement notice. It’s not what we like to do, but it’s about giving everyone a fair go.
“If you work in town, or need to be there for a long period of time, park in a non-time restricted area around the edge of town. Don’t risk getting a parking ticket for the sake of a short walk.”
At a glance:
Te Awamutu: 950 car parks, 29 parks for people with disabilities, 178 time-restricted parks, time restrictions range from 5 - 120 minutes.
Cambridge: 1000 car parks, 24 parks for people with disabilities, 275 time-restricted parks, time restrictions range from 5 - 60 minutes.
For more information, please contact:
Jacqui Humm.
Ph: 07 872 0062 or 027 532 1760.
Email: jacqui.humm@waipadc.govt.nz