Monday, 14 December, 2015

Council extends free parking for inner city Christmas shopping

Christchurch City Council has extended its free parking initiative so it is available in the days leading up to Christmas.

Acting Regulatory Compliance Unit Manager Fiona Proudfoot says Park Smart has, until now, offered two hours' free parking once a week in a designated parking area for people shopping in the central business district.

"From 21 to 24 December the two hours' free parking will be available every day," Fiona Proudfoot says.

"We want to make parking as easy as possible for people especially coming up to Christmas," she says.

To find out where and what time the free parking is available, people should visit ccc.govt.nz/parking.

The Park Smart initiative not only encourages people into the Central City, but also helps people plan their parking before they leave home.

Fiona Proudfoot says the parking compliance team find that people drive into the Central City and don't know where they can park, how long they can park, or how much it will cost.

"Some people aren't ready with change for the parking meter so they end up paying more than they need to, or they don't pay at all and end up getting an infringement notice," she says.

An interactive map on the parking pages of the Council's website shows the location of off-street parking sites, time limits that apply and parking fees. It also pinpoints motorcycle and mobility parks.

On-street parking time limits are also on the map.

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