Palmerston NT parking: Council to remove 30 meters ahead of looming 3G shutdown

The City of Palmerston will remove its 30 parking meters in the CBD after earlier being advised by its officers that the looming shutdown of Telstra’s 3G network would make the machines obsolete.

The City of Palmerston has elected to remove all 30 of its parking meters ahead of Telstra's shutdown of its 3G network. Picture: City of Palmerston

Updated, August 28: The City of Palmerston will remove its 30 parking meters in the CBD after earlier being advised by its officers that the looming shutdown of Telstra’s 3G network would make the machines obsolete.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the council said motorists could now do away with both tickets and mobile apps when shopping or eating at Palmerston City, although parking time zones will still apply to “keep things moving and support our local businesses”.

The removal of the meters commenced on Tuesday.

Free parking – which was introduced five years ago after a brief dalliance with paid parking – would continue, the council said.

This masthead previously reported that the 30 parking meters cost $70,000 per annum to maintain and would cost an additional $70,000 to upgrade to 4G connectivity.

The council recently resolved to authorise its officers to prepare a new municipal parking strategy for 2025 onwards.

The strategy would include a decision on whether free parking in Palmerston is to continue.

Why Darwin parking meters aren’t taking cash or card right now

Initial, August 19: The ongoing shutdown of the 3G network is behind the temporary inability to pay using cash or card at Darwin parking meters, it can be revealed.

Last month, parking meters operated by the City of Darwin were covered by corflutes sticky-taped to the payment panels advising motorists to pay for their parking via mobile phone app PayStay.

Several Darwinites voiced their disapproval online, claiming it was discriminatory to people who did not possess a smartphone or were not technologically literate.

According to the City of Darwin, the meter shutdown was forced by Telstra’s looming shutdown of its 3G mobile network, which will occur on October 28.

City of Darwin parking meters are currently only accepting payment through PayStay. Picture: Alex Treacy

“Our old parking meters run on 3G technology; in order to ensure continued provision of parking services in the Darwin municipality, we are currently replacing old parking meters with new meters that have 4G technology, as well as pay-by-plate and tap and go credit or debit card payment functionality,” a city spokeswoman said.

Darwinites venting their frustration online about the ongoing inability to pay with cash or card at city parking meters. Picture: Facebook/ Darwin - Have a Whinge

“The upgrades to meters comes off the back of an extensive parking review recently undertaken by City of Darwin, which found that the parking meter technology was outdated and inconvenient for those who do not pay cash or are visitors to the city.”

According to the spokeswoman, the transition would result in a reduction of 60 meters from parking zones B and C (outer edges of Darwin City), and the implementation of full cashless technology.

“The parking review … identified high levels of usage of the PayStay app to pay for parking in zones B and C, making maintaining the current number of meters in these zones no longer cost effective,” the spokeswoman said.

The cost to the council of upgrading its parking meters is expected to be about $1m in its first year, but then result in ongoing savings of about $350,000 per annum for ratepayers.

A total of 106 meters will be upgraded, and an additional 42 ‘Touch n Go’ units installed.

City of Darwin parking zones B and C are expected to see a reduction in the number of parking meters due to what the city says is high uptake of the PayStay mobile app for users of those zones. Picture: CoD

“Installation is starting in zone C, and will progress into the centre of the city over the next few weeks,” the spokeswoman said.

The City of Palmerston is also mulling what to do with its 30 parking meters.

It introduced paid parking in the city centre in June 2017, but transitioned back to free parking between July 2019–March 2020.

However, motorists are still expected to get a ticket and adhere to the stipulated parking time limits.

According to a recent report presented to councillors, the meters currently cost $70,000 per annum to maintain, and it would cost an additional $70,000 to upgrade them to 4G connectivity.

The council recently resolved to task its officers with preparing a new parking strategy for 2025 onwards.

The strategy would include a decision on whether free parking in Palmerston is to continue.