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New parking fees have come into force at the Sandspit Wharf as Auckland Transport tries to free up spaces during summer.
AT is trialing a scheme with higher fees in the summer months, but discounted fees over winter.
Daily rates for cars or trailers have increased from $10 to $12 between December 1 and March 31, but rates in the off-season will be $6 a day, while rates for parking a car with trailer are now $18 a day in peak times and $12 a day in the off peak months.
But, the cost of parking year round has drastically increased in a bid to discourage people from storing their boats in the parking lot. The cost of parking a car for a year has gone from $300 to $1120, while fees for parking a car and trailer have gone from $350 to $2190, although lower rates are available for parking during the off-peak months (see table).
Negotiations between AT and Kawau Island residents have been stretching on all year as an earlier AT proposal would have significantly hiked fees for part-time residents, sparking outrage from islanders.
All ratepayers on Kawau Island will be charged the same discounted rate of $320 a year for a car, up from $260, and $810 a year for a car and trailer, up from $330.
Kawau Advisory Committee member Lin Pardey says most islanders are happy with the result.
“Originally they were talking about increasing fees to $1200 a year for everybody, but after pretty serious negotiations, AT has realised the lifeblood of Kawau is the residents living there and we now only face a modest increase in fees,” Ms Pardey says. “Although, I don’t think Kawau islanders should be paying anything for parking – we don’t get anything else for our rates.”
Forty parks reserved for Kawau residents have also been abolished, but five parks for boat/trailer parking will be available by ballot.
“It will make it difficult for people who live on the island fulltime. If they go shopping during the busy season they may find they don’t have a parking space when they return.”
The park is at capacity for about 12 days a year, she says.
Negotiations finished with a show of goodwill from AT, who agreed to donate a one-year permanent parking space to be auctioned off at the Music in the Gardens fundraiser at Mansion House on February 13. AT has also agreed to offer discounted parking rates on the day.
The new fees structure will be reviewed after March next year.
