New, tech-friendly parking meters are being brought in to replace ageing ones in Oamaru’s town centre.
"The current meters were installed in 2013, with a 10-year life-span, and it’s no surprise... they need replacing," a Waitaki District Council media statement said.
"For all of the current meters, the 3G connection to allow it to process payments will stop working at the end of 2025 as the national 3G network is switched off," it said.
Revenue from the council’s parking machines declined from $249,422 in 2019 to just $79,732 in 2024, "in part due to the age and breakdowns of the machines".
"The new Orikan parking machines will be ticketless, and you can pay by app, by card, or with your phone with Touch N Go. There will be fewer machines than before, 39 of them, because the new ways to pay will mean all people will need is to tap and go, without returning to their car to place a ticket," it said.
The cost of replacing the machines is $350,000, which will be paid for out of the $424,389.50 parking meter depreciation reserve.
The existing one-hour free parking policy in the CBD will continue during December and January. However, from February the free one-hour parking will stop, and there will be a six-month trial of a 15-minute courtesy period to either pop in and out of a shop, or to arrange payment for parking.
Any decision about changes will be made by the mayor and councillors next year. — Allied Media
