Parking Bylaw and Controls review

This consultation is now closed.

We received 610 submissions on the Parking Bylaw/Controls and the feedback was largely in support of the proposed changes. The updated Parking Bylaw/Controls were adopted on 5 June, with the new parking rules and tariffs coming into effect on 1 July 2024. Please refer to our parking webpage for an updated list of parking tariffs and exemptions.

Whanganui District Council has conducted a review of the Parking Bylaw 2017 and Parking Controls, and proposed several changes to parking tariffs, meters and exemptions.

Overview

The proposed changes aim to improve parking turnover in Whanganui’s CBD as well as help offset anticipated rates rises. Under central government legislation, this review is also required to be completed before the end of 2024.

We received community feedback on these proposed changes:

• Expand the SuperGold card parking scheme to Saturdays – Whanganui’s SuperGold card parking scheme allows card holders free parking in the CBD between 8.00am and 11.00am, Monday to Friday. We are proposing to extend the scheme to include Saturdays, also from 8.00am-11.00am.

• Allow UCOL students three hours free parking on Taupo Quay – UCOL students have an informal exemption that currently allows them two hours of free parking on Taupo Quay. We are proposing to extend this period to three hours to accommodate lecture times usually of the same duration.

• Add three more mobility parks – in addition to two new mobility parks being placed in Guyton Street as part of the Streets for People project in this area, we are proposing a further three mobility parks – one near BNZ Whanganui at 124 Victoria Avenue and two off-street parks in the council-operated off-street Winstone carpark on St Hill Street – to accommodate mobility vans with rear-loading ramps.

• Introduce 14 new parking meters – A number of free side street carparks are used on an all-day basis by CBD visitors and workers. By installing new parking meters in previously unmetered areas on Rutland, Ridgway, Guyton and St Hill streets – see a map of all 14 proposed meters(PDF, 692KB) – it’s again expected that congestion and high-occupancy rates on Victoria Avenue will be reduced.
  Parking paid for in the CBD side streets and off-street carparks will allow people to carry any unused credit within the paid time period to all metered car parks in the town centre with the exception of Victoria Avenue. Increased revenue generated by locals and tourists from the new meters would also be used to partly offset future rates rises.

• Increase parking tariffs – To maintain the turnover of parking spaces and to help offset future rates rises, it’s proposed that parking tariffs in the town centre / Victoria Avenue (CBD) area be increased. 

(Please note – this link will open a survey that allows you to formally submit on consultation items related to parking. The survey also has optional questions that are part of the consultation on the council’s Long-Term Plan 2024-34.)

People who opt for free or lower-cost parking will still have the choice to park outside of the CBD, but those wanting to park in “premium” spaces on Victoria Avenue (ie: outside of their shopping destination) will have to pay the increased tariff.

By increasing parking tariffs, it’s expected that traffic congestion and parking space high-occupancy rates on Victoria Avenue will be reduced, and people would be encouraged to park elsewhere. Please note that mobility parks will remain available in high-use areas in Victoria Avenue.

The current and proposed parking tariffs are:

For more information about each option, including an overview of advantages and disadvantages with each proposed change, please see the attached Statement of Proposal document.