Auckland CBD parking charges to change

Parking in Auckland's CBD is changing.

From mid-October, people who drive in to work will be encouraged to use public transport.

It'll see someone who currently parks in Union Street for $8 a day, having to pay $17 a day.

That adds up to $85 a week, and nearly $4,500 a year.

CEO of Auckland Transport Greg Edmonds, says it's to encourage people to shop in the central city, by freeing up parking.

He says most submissions were against the plan, but not all.

"Probably a third were in support of changing it to make it more easy to get a park for short term parking."

Greg Edmonds says it'll be much simpler, with no time limit on parks.

He says it's to reduce parking congestion, and will encourage people who work in the CBD to use public transport.

"We're trying to free up short term parking on street in the CBD to support people coming back into the city centre for shopping and business, work and make it easy to find a park for short term."

Greg Edmonds points out some prices have dropped, including city car parking buildings.

"There's a small number of streets in the Auckland CBD that have actually increased in price, but on the opposite side of that there's actually a number who have decreased so the overall core of it has actually stayed at $4 per hour."

Greg Edmonds advises office workers hit by the charges, to lease a monthly space.

Employers and Manufacturers Association CEO Kim Campbell says people who want to pop into the CBD to shop, will find it easier and more simple.

He says parking spaces won't be taken up by people who work in the central city, and are there all day.

"It is important that we keep the centre of the city alive and vibrant and let's hope this is going to do something towards that. Let's take them at the standing that it's going to be revenue-neutral. It can't be seen as a revenue hungry, greedy parking grab."

Kim Campbell says something needed to be done to get people shopping in the CBD.

But Auckland councillor Cameron Brewer says it will turn off more shoppers, than it will turn over parking spaces.

"People love their P5s, P10s, P15s. When Auckland Transport took away the short term free parking in say Remuera, and replaced it with pay and display, the local retailers there felt it instantly."

He says it's not revenue neutral at all.

"The whole shift in CBD parking charges was presented to us councillors earlier this year by Auckland Transport as one of its ways it could lift its revenue."

Cameron Brewer says it'll be a win for the suburbs and malls.