Spotlight on free parking proposal Author: By JASON GORDON Civic Reporter Date: 30/01/2007 Publication: Newcastle Herald
FREE parking in Newcastle's central business district on Sundays could make a welcome return under plans going to Newcastle City Council tonight.
Moves flagged by Cr Barbara Gaudry would result in parking meters being switched off on Sundays in an area bordered by Brown, King, Bolton, Scott and Hunter streets.
Under the plan to be floated by Cr Gaudry tonight, the council would undertake further consultation with business owners and residents in that area to determine if parking meter relief on Sundays would create extra parking problems or encourage people back into the city on weekends.
"The introduction of paid parking (on weekends) in that area came when the mall markets were opened," she said. "The intention was good, to turn over parking spaces and make sure that they weren't filled by stallholders and their employees.
"The markets have been gone for some time so I think it's time we revised our policy and removed the paid parking on Sundays."
The two-hour parking in King Street also affected cinema-goers who are "often caught out when films run for over two hours", Cr Gaudry said.
The move has received in-principle support from council general manager Janet Dore.