Poll: Do you support the Christchurch City Council increasing parking fees?
It’s bad news for people who like to play chicken with parking wardens, or think parking on the footpath is fair game: Christchurch’s parking fines may increase by 70% as soon as October.
That would boost the fine given by the city council to overstayers (in a free five-minute spot, for example) from $12 to $20 at a minimum, or up to $97 if they stayed for more than six hours.
For someone parking in a restricted or cultivated area - like a grass berm, footpath or cycleway - the fine may jump from $40 to $70.
Someone double parked - or parked inconsiderately - would be slapped with a $100 ticket instead of a $60 one. It would be the same cost increase for someone parked in an area reserved for charging EVs.
Stephen Wright, the council’s head of transport operations, said fee increases would better offset the cost of enforcement while positively changing driver behaviours.
Read the full story from reporter Sinead Gill here (note: a subscription is required).
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17.4% Yes, if it saves money on rates and towage
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8% Yes, even if it doesn't save us money
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71.8% No, it's already high enough
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2.8% I'm not sure
Poll: Is the increase in disability parking fines fair?
In October, the fine for parking in a designated mobility car park without a permit has jumped from $150 to $750—a 400% increase!
The goal is to keep these spaces open for those who truly need them. Do you think this big increase in the fine is fair? Share your thoughts below.
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88.5% Yes, it's fair
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10.8% No, it's unreasonable
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0.7% Other - I'll share below
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David's father has three sons: Snap, Crackle, and _____?
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Cyclists forced to use ‘more dangerous’ crossing if cycleway closed
Closing a Christchurch cycleway to avoid an unsafe rail crossing will lead cyclists across an even “more dangerous” crossing, cycling advocates say.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has weighed in on the issue, calling the move to shut a 1.5km section of the Heathcote Expressway for up to two years, “illogical”. He has asked KiwiRail to explain.
KiwiRail is demanding Christchurch City Council close part of the expressway until $6.5 million worth of safety improvements can be made to the Scruttons Rd rail crossing.
It said the “unsafe” crossing posed the risk of death or serious injury once every thousand years.
What do you do think? Read the full story by reporters Sinead Gill and Tina Law here and tell us what you think in the comments. (A subscription is required, but you can see two free articles a month).