Parking will no longer be free in Townsville’s CBD
City traders have questioned the reintroduction of parking fees in the CBD as Townsville City Council estimates free parking has cost $600,000 in lost revenue
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City traders have questioned the reintroduction of parking fees in the CBD as Townsville City Council estimates free parking has cost $600,000 in lost revenue.
The council has announced the city’s parking meters will be back in action on July 20, saying the restrictions associated with COVID-19 have eased.
Mayor Jenny Hill said free parking was among the initiatives introduced by the council when the COVID-19 pandemic first impacted the city in March. “With COVID-19 restrictions having been eased in recent weeks, council decided that paid parking should be reintroduced from Monday, 20 July,” Ms Hill said.
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Free 15-minute parking in all two-hour parking spots remains.
According to the council, free parking is estimated to have cost the council around $600,000 in lost revenue.
Gecko Interiors owner Lucy Downes said businesses were still vulnerable.
“We have businesses in Flinders Street who have had to close their doors or operate under changed hours having to trade without the foot traffic we are used to,” Ms Downes said.
“We have customers coming in and saying they really appreciated the free parking and are wanting to support local businesses. We don’t want to jeopardise that by reintroducing paid parking. We’re still extremely vulnerable.”
Ian and Joele Fleming, co-owners of The Speckled Hen, noticed an increase in foot traffic since parking had been free but wanted to see paid parking reintroduced.
“We’re becoming a city, where do you park (for free) in Melbourne?” Ms Fleming said.
Originally published as Parking will no longer be free in Townsville’s CBD