Parking fees in CBD to rise in proposed 2019/20 budget

If you drive into the CBD regularly, a key measure of the Adelaide City Council’s 2019/20 draft budget could hit quite hard.

On-street parking charges in the Adelaide CBD would rise by up to 25 per cent under a council budget proposal for a flat 50c increase, regardless of location or length of stay.

Adelaide City Council’s draft annual business plan shows the increase for 2019/20 would rake in an extra $700,000.

A four-hour weekend park on Rundle Rd would go from $2 to $2.50, a 25 per cent rise.

The same Rundle Rd space on a weekday would jump 12 per cent from $4.20 to $4.70 per hour, while parking on King William St would rise 13.5 per cent, up from $3.70 to $4.20 an hour.

Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said increasing parking prices was the best way to balance the budget.

Adelaide Lord Mayor, Sandy Verschoor. Picture: Matt Loxton

“We don’t want to have to put rates up … it is a balancing mechanism within the budget,” Ms Verschoor said.

“Some fees will go up from $2 to $2.50 on a weekend, for example, and that is not going to have a terrible affect on people.” The council had considered options of increasing the amount charged per hour by either 10c or 50c.

It also looked at increasing the weekend rate by $1.

Last month, the council launched smartphone app Park Adelaide allowing motorists to buy a one-off extra 15 minutes to avoid a fine.

Using 2800 sensors across the city, predominantly in ticketed parking bays, the app provides accurate, real-time information about parking availability and time limits.

Other big-ticket items in the budget include $15.9 million in parklands projects and maintenance, $1.7 million to upgrade Jeffcott St, $900,000 on resurfacing and new kerbing on Grote St (between Morphett St and West Tce), and $800,000 for Whitmore Square safety upgrades.

The council has also allocated $370,000 to develop masterplans for Melbourne, O’Connell and Hutt streets.

“They are the three streets we believe need a little bit of love and attention paid to them,” Ms Verschoor said.

A council report said the rate in the dollar had been fixed for the fifth consecutive year. The council has forecast total rate income of $108 million in 2019/20, up $6 million.

But it could not say what the average rate rises for residents and businesses would be.

“Administration will continue to verify the rates valuation model, providing confirmation of the final budget in June,” a council report about the budget said.

Community consultation would run from May 8-29, and public meetings held, if the council endorses the draft plan next Tuesday.