A major upgrade to parking meters in Whanganui’s town centre is about to begin.
Now that new parking meter base plates have been installed, work has begun on the removal of existing meters in Victoria Avenue and surrounding areas. Installation of the new parking meters is scheduled to start on Friday, 18 March 2022.
Removal and installation work for all side-street and off-street parking meters will commence on Wednesday, 16 March.
Whanganui District Council’s compliance operations manager, Jason Shailer said, “The upgrade of parking meters in Whanganui’s CBD will simplify parking for locals and visitors alike.”
“The new Metro Lite Touch meters operate on a ‘pay-by-plate’ parking system and feature three payment methods – coins, tap-and-go (credit/debit card), and a smartphone app. The number of meters will also be reduced from 216 to 53, lessening the visual impact that’s often associated with parking meters.”
Council has acknowledged that the insulation of the city’s new parking meters may cause a brief period of disruption to some CBD businesses and visitors.
Shailer said, “There will be a minor amount of noise connected with the removal of the existing meters, and this work may result in a partial cordoning of some footpath areas in Victoria Avenue while pavers are reinstated. Once the old meters are removed, a small number of parking bays will also be temporarily closed while the new meters are installed.
“The council apologises for any temporary inconvenience this work may cause, and we thank the community for their patience and support of this project.”
No indication has been given on whether there would be an increase in parking costs. However, the council is reviewing its parking management plan and parking bylaw.
This review will consider time limits for on-street parking, the council’s off-street parking areas, SuperGold card and mobility parking permits, parking tariffs, parking options in Rutland Street, as well as town-centre parking for bicycles, scooters, and other micro-mobility options.
Prior to formal consultation beginning, the council is seeking feedback on the current parking rules. Find out more: whanganui.govt.nz/parking-survey
The scheduled work is weather dependant, and the new meters are expected to be operational from Monday, 21 March.
