North Hobart parking saga: Alderman Marti Zucco attacks precinct's meters

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THE Hobart City Council has been asked to immediately suspend the use of parking meters in North Hobart, amid frustration from traders who say they are losing thousands of dollars each week as a result.

Alderman Marti Zucco has submitted the motion to Monday night’s meeting, after a petition with more than 1000 signatures was submitted by businesses to council earlier this month.

Traders called for an overhaul of the meters, saying they were confusing customers who were put off by them and instead spending their money elsewhere.

The Elizabeth St strip currently allows for 30-minute parking between 9am and 9pm with payment required from 11am-2pm and 5-8pm.

Ald Zucco’s motion has also called for the council to embark on a marketing program with traders to rejuvenate business in the area.

“The implementation of parking meters in North Hobart has decimated a vast number of businesses in North Hobart with some losing around $5000 per week,” Ald Zucco wrote.

“This is not sustainable and is causing mental stress for a vast number of family-run small businesses in North Hobart.

“How would any elected members or senior [council] management feel if they were subjected to such losses?”

Ald Zucco also submitted photos of the shopping strip at various times of the day, showing a significant number of empty spaces.

He argued it was unjust that North Hobart had parking meters while South Hobart, Sandy Bay, Lenah Valley or New Town did not.

He said the solution to Uber Eats drivers – part of the reason the meters were introduced in the first place – could be solved with legislation changes.

City of Hobart chief executive Kelly Grigsby said council’s executive leadership team had started an urgent review of issues raised in the petition, together with an action plan for council to consider at a future meeting.

“It is important to note that the operational parking policy changes unanimously adopted by council on 23rd November 2020 were developed to address multiple interconnected issues within precincts,” she wrote in a report to council.

“Without a comprehensive analysis ... and by removing a single component, unintended detrimental outcomes could result, including the return of parking congestion, inadequate parking availability and issues around social food delivery vehicles.”

NoHo parking meters updated with edited signage

The North Hobart parking saga has continued with signage on parking meter poles in the area being updated in an attempt to make rules clearer.

As it currently stands, the popular strip allows for 30-minute parking between 9am and 9pm with payment required from 11am-2pm and 5-8pm.

The updated parking meter signs on North Hobart strip. Supplied photo.

The parking signage previously stated ‘payment required’ followed by the payment time zones but on Monday this was edited by the Hobart City Council to say ‘payment only required’ in an attempt to rid the public of confusion.

The edited signage comes on the back of a recent petition that was presented to Hobart City Council in Monday night’s meeting and referred to the Finance and Governance Committee.

Lead petitioner Lisa Martin, the co-owner of Winnings Newsagency and Lotto, said the update to the signs was not going to have any positive impact on the issues businesses were facing.

“Adding one word and one line to the signs doesn’t change a thing.

“It’s a joke – it’s a total waste of rate payers money and it’s not going to help us at all,” Ms Martin said.

Winning's News and Lotto co owner Lisa Martin who will send a petition with more than 1000 signatures to the Hobart City Council over parking woes in the North Hobart strip. Picture: Chris Kidd

Alderman Marti Zucco agreed with Ms Martin.

“It’s an absolute appalling waste of rate payer funds,” he said.

“The traders of North Hobart flagged the issues with the signs from their implementation and now it’s been decided the solution is to add a line to the sign and add the word ‘only’.”

“It’s appalling and it’s all at the cost of the rate payer and yet again it’s been done without any consultation whatsoever to the traders.”

A total of 1149 people have signed the petition calling on the Hobart City Council to overhaul the current parking meters.