Central city  |  4 Dec 2020

A draft policy that maps out how Christchurch City Council plans to manage parking in the central city will be considered by the Urban Development and Transport Committee next week.

The Draft Central City Parking Policy provides a framework to enable Council to manage parking more effectively. It covers on-street parking, Council-owned off-street parking, and temporary surface parking lots.

It sets out how the Council should respond to:

  • The availability of free, or cheap, parking that encourages commuting to the central city in private vehicles rather than by more sustainable modes of transport.
  • The competing demands for valuable central city on-street space.
  • The expiry of temporary parking lot permits in mid-2021.

 If the Urban Development and Transport Committee gives approval, the Draft Central City Parking Policy will go out for public consultation early in 2021.

“We need a new Central City Parking Policy that reflects the changes that have occurred and the new challenges we are facing,’’ says Council Head of Planning and Strategic Transport David Griffiths. "The 2015 Parking Plan filled an important void at the time but there has been significant progress in the central city in the past five years.

“The right parking policy will help ensure community and visitor access to the central city, help local businesses to thrive, and ultimately increase the attractiveness of the city to all,’’ Mr Griffiths says.

The Draft Central City Parking Policy will replace the Central City Parking Plan 2015.

Read the Committee report on the Draft Central City Parking Policy.