Adelaide City Council set to discuss increasing carparking fees up to 20 per cent
Parking fees in the CBD will skyrocket by a huge 20 per cent under budget changes proposed by the Adelaide City Council.
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On-street parking fees in the CBD would increase by up to 20 per cent under an Adelaide City Council budget proposal.
The council will on Tuesday night discuss parking price changes for 2020-21, with increases ranging from an extra 10c a half-hour in some areas to a flat 50c increase on weekends.
A four-hour weekend park on Rundle Rd would go from $2.50 to $3, a 20 per cent rise.
The plan has left Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor, pictured, and her second in charge, Cr Alexander Hyde, questioning if an increase in costs would deter people from the city.
Ms Verschoor said if the change was accepted, it would not be enforced until January 2021, because of the economic impact of coronavirus.
“I understand the impact COVID-19 has had on all city users and we are excited to welcome people back as restrictions are relaxed,” Ms Verschoor said.
“I personally don’t think it would be sensible to make any changes, which would discourage people to come into the city.”
Under the proposed changes, there would be no price hike for motorists looking to buy a one-off extra 15 minutes parking using the council’s Park Adelaide app.
That cost would remain at $5.50.
The Advertiser reported in April that the council was expecting to lose up to $5 million in revenue in the three months to the end of June, specifically because of reduced parking fees and traffic fines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Council staff directed parking and information officers to take a flexible approach when monitoring parking, especially with vehicles in timed and ticketed zones. The council generates about 45 per cent of its income from commercial revenue streams, including parking.
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Cr Hyde said he would not support any increase in parking fees and would ask for the proposal to be scrapped.
“With local businesses and residents doing it so tough, we cannot be entertaining hiking fees and charges,” Cr Hyde said.
“Our revenue shortfalls must be addressed through savings, not tax hikes. We need to look for our own efficiencies before we raid others’ hip pockets.”
Meanwhile, off-street parking in the city’s UParks will remain capped at $8 a day until the end of June as part of the council’s COVID-19 recovery package.
But the capped-price parking has been removed at the Adelaide Central Market UPark on Thursdays and Fridays because it was causing too much congestion.