Proposed parking changes in a North Dunedin street are not too popular with students living in the area. “Ridiculous” and “annoying” are two labels residents of Elder St have used in reaction to a plan that would convert 11 unrestricted spaces into two-hour parks. Parking in the area was difficult enough already and the proposed change might make the situation worse for residents, students said. The Dunedin City Council has asked for feedback about the proposal, which would affect a row of carparks near the intersection with Pitt St. “This change will encourage parking turnover in the area, supporting better access to the central city for more people,” the council said. It claimed “ample” unrestricted parking remained available in Elder St. Residents approached by the Otago Daily Times saw it differently. Students Abbie Middlemass, Libby Carran and Ingrid Patterson were part of a 12-person flat — there were 11 vehicles among the flatmates and one garage. “Finding a park is hard as it is,” Miss Middlemass said. In her submission to the council, Miss Patterson said it was a residential area and the proposed change was “ridiculous”. Miss Carran said they needed to get to and from sports practices and work. The trio were from Southland, she said. “It’s handy to have our cars to go home.” Just up the street, student Nixon Timms was part of a big flat, too. The parking change would be “super annoying” if it came into effect, he said. A shortage of parks in Elder St often led to residents parking in Pitt St, Queen St and Heriot Row, he said. Mr Timms agreed Elder St was a residential area and he doubted many people parked there to go into town. “I don’t see the point of it,” he said of the proposed change. Among the submissions, resident Holly Cunliffe said students often parked in Elder St while studying or at work and it was unreasonable to expect them to move their cars throughout the day. Public submissions close on Wednesday next week.
