A business lobby group is urging council to simplify parking fees in Newcastle to help boost business in the CBD.
The Newcastle Alliance is calling on council to trial a new fee structure that would include 30 minutes free parking, and a set rate of $2 an hour after that.
Alliance Chairman Paul Murphy says “the current parking system in place is confusing, expensive and creating a clear deterrent to people visiting the Newcastle CBD.”
Mr Murphy says businesses are being ‘strangled’ and Council compliance officers patrolled the streets like the “gestapo waiting for meters to tick over”.
The Alliance met with council General Manager Ken Gouldthorp in March outlining a range of parking related issues that they say have not been addressed, including confusion over parking signs and fees and an election promise to review parking costs in the inner city.
“We asked the questions and have not seen anything in return,” said Mr Murphy. “If we wait another five months quite simply, many businesses will no longer be in existence. This needs immediate action.”
My shop, One Stop Sensory Shop in Hunter ST Mall Newcastle is greatly affected by the parking meters, my shop is the sort of shop you need time to browse and so often people run out, leave the goods they were holding and run because of the parking meters. I lose sales because of the parking meters.
I am considering opening a new business in the Newcastle CBD, which would aim to bring community members together, and bring clientele to other small businesses in the area. Parking is a huge consideration for me when I consider families to be my target market, and the main reason why I would take my business out of the CBD. It’s atrocious that the council are choosing to make it difficult for business to run & difficult for people to enjoy the CBD.