Claims `ridiculous'

Dunedin City councillor John Bezett has described as "ridiculous" accusations he received special treatment under the city's new parking regime.

Some of the few free time-restricted parks in George St under the regime are outside his shop, prompting complaints to the Otago Daily Times from members of the public.

The loss of short-term parking has angered some businesses.

There are two sets of "P5" zones in the central George St shopping area, one between Moray Pl and St Andrew St, and another between Hanover St and Frederick St, outside Bezett Jewellers and Watchmakers.

Cr Bezett said a staff member at the shop had been accosted about the matter, and he would be "quite happy" if the council removed the park.

Planning and environment committee chairman Cr Michael Guest also dismissed the accusation last night.

He said there had "never been any discussion about any such parks going outside his [Cr Bezett's] shop" during the development of the strategy by councillors.

City environment general manager Tony Avery said on Friday council staff had made the decisions on the detail of which parks would go where.

Last night, he said apart from the pay and display parking added in George St, some free time-restricted parks were new, and some had been removed under the new regime.

There were some free parks around the central business district where it was not cost-effective to have pay and display machines.

There had been no changes in George St since the council promised to have another look at the regime, but some parks had been changed last week because bad weather meant they could not be put in place earlier.

The council said in a press release yesterday Cr Bezett, along with Cr Andrew Noone and deputy mayor Syd Brown, would be members of a working party reviewing the strategy, with Cr Guest chairman.

The working party would meet tomorrow to consider "messages from Dunedin residents logged by councillors and DCC staff".

Cr Guest repeated assertions he made last week that the council was not "going back" on the strategy, but was correcting anomalies on a case-by-case basis because of unforeseen circumstances.

 

 

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