Parking Policy
Adopted August 2020
The Parking Policy 2020
August 2020
Parking Policy August 2020
Contents
1. Purpose of the parking policy ............................................................................................................................... 3
2. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Our future city ............................................................................................................................................ 4
2.2 What is our role in parking and where does the parking policy fit? ........................................................... 5
2.2.1
How does parking fit with the transport hierarchy and the draft Spatial Plan? ........................................6
2.2.2
How does parking fit with the District Plan? .............................................................................................. 7
2.2.3
How does parking fit with a Place and Movement Framework? ................................................................. 7
2.2.4
How does parking fit with other Council decision-making? ....................................................................... 8
2.2.5
How does the parking policy fit with Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi)? ............................... 8
3. The parking problem ............................................................................................................................................9
3.1 What is causing the parking problems? .....................................................................................................9
3.1.2
Parking supply is decreasing ......................................................................................................................9
3.1.3
Access needs are not always met ............................................................................................................. 10
3.1.4
Climate change ......................................................................................................................................... 10
3.1.5
The value of parking is not fully recognised ............................................................................................. 11
3.1.6
Parking management should be tailored to local areas ............................................................................. 11
3.2 Summary: what do these factors mean for parking management? ........................................................ 12
4. The Parking Policy ............................................................................................................................................... 11
4.1 Parking policy objectives ........................................................................................................................... 11
4.2 Parking policy principles ........................................................................................................................... 12
4.3 How we will know we are successful ........................................................................................................ 14
4.4 Parking space hierarchy – how we will prioritise parking ........................................................................ 15
4.5 Area-based approach – how will we implement the new policy .............................................................. 18
Our parking management tools – how we will manage demand and supply .......................................... 18
5. Ensuring access for all ...................................................................................................................................... 29
4.6
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August 2020
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Glossary
Active transport modes – non-motorised forms of transport that use
human physical activity to move, such as walking and cycling.
Area-based approach – a holistic and integrated approach to an area of
the city that has acute parking issues.
Carbon emissions – Transport-related carbon dioxide emissions.
Central city – includes the Golden Mile, Thorndon Quay, the Parliament
precinct/ Molesworth street area of Thorndon, Cuba street area as far as
Webb Street and Kent/ Cambridge Terraces, and part of Oriental Bay to the
band rotunda.
Exponentially – the hourly price increases every additional hour of stay.
Let’s Get Wellington Moving – a joint initiative between Wellington City
Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and the NZ Transport Agency. It
focuses on the area from Ngauranga Gorge to the airport, encompassing the
Wellington Urban Motorway and connections to the central city, Wellington
Regional Hospital and the eastern and southern suburbs.
Micro-mobility – small, light vehicles like bicycles, electric scooters and
electric bicycles. Does not include mobility aids or powered or unpowered
wheelchairs.
Multi-occupied dwelling – a dwelling occupied as a house share of three or
more unrelated adults, such as a student flat-share or group of young
professionals.
On-street parking – parking your vehicle on the street as opposed to in a
garage, parking building or on a driveway. On-street parking in urban areas
is often paid parking and/or has time restrictions.
Off-street parking – parking your vehicle anywhere that is not a street,
such as a garage, parking building or on a driveway. Can be indoors or
outdoors, and be private or commercial parking.
Parking Policy August 2020
Parking designations – a parking area marked by signage and/or road
markings that is restricted to a vehicle type and/or valid permit-holders only,
for example, loading zones, mobility parking spaces, taxi stands, residents’
parking.
Pedestrians/Walking – people moving about in the physical space for
transportation, wellness and fun, whether this is with or without a mobility
device/aid such as a wheelchair, walking frame, pram or stick.
Short-stay parking – time limited parking spaces of three hours or less.
Urban design features – street trees, footpath buildouts, sculptures,
seating and similar features that enhance public spaces.
User pays – a pricing approach where consumers (users) pay the full cost of
the goods or services that they use.
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1. Purpose of the parking policy
The parking policy sets the objectives and principles for the management of
Council-controlled on-street and off- street parking, and how parking supports
achieving the vision for Wellington.
It covers Council-controlled off-street parking, mobility parking, car share
parking, loading zones, taxi stands, short-stay parking, parking for residents,
buses and coaches, motorcycles, electric vehicle charging and on-street
parking for bicycles and micro-mobility (eg, e-scooters).
The Council is not the only provider of parking. For example, in the central city,
the Council manages 14 percent of the total estimated parking supply and
private providers make up the rest. This policy recognises that Council parking
is part of a complex travel and transport system. When the Council makes
parking management decisions, we will need to consider private parking
supply, how it is managed and the Council's role to address the gaps in the
overall parking market.
This document outlines the Council’s role and how we manage our parking
supply. The parking policy is designed to manage parking pressures over the
next 10 to 20 years as our city grows, and as our transport infrastructure is
improved to support city development.
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2. Introduction
Parking is an important part of our city life. It is part of how many people access our
city and its services.
Our expectations for parking have been built on our increased reliance on private
vehicles over the past century. However, we are already operating in a constrained
environment. The supply of Council-controlled parking spaces, particularly in the
central city, has decreased for a number of reasons, and our population and car
ownership is growing. This has resulted in challenges and pressure points for parking,
which we need to balance.
As we look to the future, we need to consider the expected trends and how we want
to shape our city. We will need to change how we move into and around the city and
the effect this has on how we use our streets, including parking spaces.
2.1 Our future city
The Council’s vision for Wellington is built around people and communities. The future
city will be a place where people and goods can easily move to and through the city,
based on a transport system that can accommodate moving more people using fewer
vehicles. We have also taken an environmental and resilience leadership role and
have set a goal to be a zero-carbon capital by 2050.
As our city changes and evolves over time, we want to make sure we don’t lose what
makes our city special for so many people – its dynamic compact urban form that
offers the lifestyle, entertainment, retail and amenities of a much bigger city.
In addition to being a place of creativity, exploration and innovation, we want to
ensure the central city continues to support the regional economy.
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2.2 What is our role in parking and where does the parking policy
fit?
The Land Transport Act 1998 gives the Council power to impose parking controls as a
road controlling authority. We are responsible for managing road space for various
purposes, including parking. We also have an enforcement role.
As a local authority, we also take into account the current and future interests of the
community when making decisions. One of our core roles is the provision of public
goods.
Parking restrictions are implemented through Council’s traffic bylaw and through the
traffic resolution process. Those parking controls set by the Wellington Consolidated
Bylaw 2008 Part 7: Traffic, are enforced through infringement fees. The infringement
fees are set through the Land Transport (Offences and Penalties) Regulations 1999
administered by the Ministry of Transport.
Our parking policy helps enable these roles. It sets the objectives and principles for
parking in the city for the future in a way that supports our broader objectives of
preparing the city for population growth, making the city more people friendly,
supporting economic growth including retail, hospitality and tourism and moving more
people using fewer vehicles in the future.
The parking policy replaces the Parking Policy 2007, the Mobility Parking Policy 2005
and the Car Share Policy 2016. New operational guidelines or protocols will be
developed, where required, to clarify day-to-day parking management activities.
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5
This diagram provides a snapshot of the travel and transport system related
documents that guide Council decision-making. There are other documents on
different issues and topics of equal importance.
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2.2.1
How does parking fit with the transport hierarchy and the
draft Spatial Plan?
The transport hierarchy from the Te Atakura First to Zero: Wellington’s blueprint
for a Zero Carbon Capital is below. A key aspect of this hierarchy is that active
modes of transport, such as walking and cycling, and public transport have the
highest priority. This means that when we are making decisions on using road
space, they take a higher priority to parking. This is reflected in the parking
priorities set out in the parking policy.
The draft Spatial Plan, currently in development, will provide the strategic
direction for where urban development will occur in the future and how this will
influence our transport decisions, whether they are operational priorities,
investment in new infrastructure or changes to our District Plan and other
planning and regulatory tools.
Our transport system and land use plans need to be realigned to achieve the
sustainable future people have told us they want – where we live and work
influences how we move so it is important that these priorities are aligned. The
draft Spatial Plan is an integrated land use and transport strategy which aims to
move more people with fewer vehicles by focusing future growth to areas that
are close in proximity to key public transport routes, and where there are
opportunities for walking and cycling over other forms of transport.
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2.2.2
How does parking fit with the District Plan?
The Resource Management Act 1991 requires Council to have a District Plan in place
which sets out how land use and development will be managed. The Council can set
its District Plan to control the use of private land for car parking alongside decisions
on how public land, including roads, is best used. This can influence the supply,
design and use of off-street and private parking. Currently, the District Plan has no
minimum car parking rules in some areas including the central city, business (mixed
use and industrial) and centres zones. A developer or landowner can choose to
provide car parking if desired, in response to market demand.
On 23 July 2020, the Government gazetted the National Policy Statement on Urban
Development 2020 (NPS-UD). It came into effect on 20 August 2020 replacing the
National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity 2016. The NPS-UD states
that a territorial authority, such as Wellington City Council, must change its district
plan to remove any effect of requiring a minimum number of car parks to be provided
for a particular development, land use, or activity, other than in respect of accessible
car parks. This includes objectives, policies, rules and assessment criteria. These
changes must be made within 18 months of the NPS-UD coming into effect.
This means for future new development in the city, including outside of the central
city, there will be no minimum off-street parking requirement, except for accessible
car parks.
The Planning for Growth programme and District Plan review provides a timely
opportunity to implement this new requirement to support the parking policy.
2.2.3
How does parking fit with a Place and Movement
Framework?
Wellington’s roads and streets provide a wide range of benefits to the city, often
within a physically constrained space. How we use and design our roads and streets
directly influences place identity, accessibility, public health, inclusivity, sustainability
and economic growth, whilst enabling for efficient and safe movement.
A tool that can be used for transport network planning is a Place and Movement
Framework. A Place and Movement Framework complements the transport hierarchy
and the parking space hierarchy by ensuring place, land-use and mode choice are
given equal consideration. It guides decision-making by categorising the streets
within different areas of the city. The framework assigns both a “place” value and a
“movement” value to each street – for example, are they places that have specific
character where people want to spend time and socialise, or are they streets that
move a significant volume of people through an area to connect to a different
destination?
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Streets are classified along a spectrum of place and movement in a matrix and this
determines how they are designed and how space is allocated to different uses
(sitting, dwelling/relaxing, walking, cycling and moving using all other forms of public
and private transport).
For example, if the street type is classified as predominantly for movement then it
may be more likely that on-street parking is removed or reduced to provide for safe
and efficient movement of pedestrians and Public Transport; whereas low volume
traffic streets and streets with lower place value may be a more suitable location for
some on-street parking.
We are in the process of developing a Place and Movement Framework for Wellington
City as part of the Let’s Get Wellington Moving work programme.
2.2.4
How does parking fit with other Council decision-making?
The scope of the parking policy is limited to applying parking management tools and
allocating of space for parking. However, the objectives of the policy cannot be met
without this policy also being considered within other wider Council decisions about
new development and facilities, infrastructure and changes to the public transport
network that are made by Greater Wellington Regional Council. For example,
decisions about the location of a new Council facility, such as a library or sportsfield,
will be made with access and suitability of public transport front of mind.
2.2.5
How does the parking policy fit with Te Tiriti o Waitangi
(the Treaty of Waitangi)?
The Council’s Te Tiriti obligations are a requirement of the Resource Management Act
1991 and Local Government Acts 1974 and 2002. For example, the Resource
Management Act requires the Council to consider matters of significance to tangata
whenua, such as:
• the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and their application to the
management of resources [section 8]
• recognition and protection of Māori and their culture and traditions with their
ancestral lands, waters, sites, wāhi tapu and other taonga [section 6(e)]
• having particular regard to the exercise of kaitiakitanga or the iwi exercise of
guardianship over resources [section 7(a)]
• recognition of any planning document recognised by an iwi authority [section
74(2)b]
• the obligation to consult with iwi over consents, policies and plans.
The Council and local iwi have Memoranda of Understanding in place with Taranaki
Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika (Taranaki Whānui) and Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira
Incorporated (Toa Rangatira).
The memoranda provide the framework for strategic relationships between the iwi
groups and the Council, enabling our iwi partners to contribute to council decision
making. This will be a particular focus of the Planning for Growth programme.
Council Parking Services staff also receive training on Te Tiriti and its role in New
Zealand’s regulatory environment.
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3. The parking problem
3.1 What is causing the parking problems?
3.1.1
Our city is growing in size and parking demand is
increasing
Wellington will be home to another 50,000 to 80,000 residents by 2043, with nearly
half of the growth in the central city and existing suburban centres. That is the
equivalent of the Masterton and Porirua populations being added within our existing
city boundaries. Wellington region’s population is also projected to grow and,
therefore, more workers will commute into the city from the wider region. Planning
for Growth Spatial Plan is the Council’s planning framework that will determine how
and where the city will grow over the next 30 years to accommodate this growth.
More recently there has been increased urbanisation: more people living in the
central city and inner-city suburbs increases the pressure on parking space
availability. People increasingly expect to be able to walk, shop, dine and spend time
in places that are attractive and safe.
To accommodate this population growth, we need a more efficient transport system
that makes better use of our limited road space. This means moving more people
using fewer vehicles; using public transport more; more people walking and cycling
and fewer people driving and parking in busy areas.
Other factors that affect parking demand include:
• an ageing population
• average number of cars per household
• changes to the retail and hospitality sector – how and where we shop and when,
where and how we spend our leisure time
• changes in patterns of commuting, such as working from home, more demand
for park and ride options and the growing uptake of micro-mobility (electric
scooters and bicycles), car sharing and ridesharing.
3.1.2
Parking supply is decreasing
Over time, the supply of Council-controlled parking spaces, particularly in the central
area, has decreased. This is due to:
• the loss of parking buildings from earthquake damage.
• reallocating on-street road space to support national
1
, regional
2
and city priorities
for pedestrian-focused developments and to support active and public transport.
We are implementing a cycle network programme to create cycleways that will
1
The Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2018.
2
Wellington Regional Public Transport Plan and Wellington Regional Land Transport
Plan.
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make it easier and safer for people biking and walking. In addition, the Let’s Get
Wellington Moving $6.8 billion work programme will create a significantly improved
transport system over time. To achieve this, we need to start creating space along
some key transport routes. It will mean removing some on-street parking spaces
and prioritising the on-street space that is left. This will allow for a more effective
public transport system with faster and more regular services. It will also mean we
can drive less as other transport options (including cycling) will provide greater
choices for us all.
• Reprioritising Council-managed off-street parking for other purposes, such as
the temporary, but medium- term, relocation of the Royal New Zealand
Ballet to the Michael Fowler Centre car park.
• Supporting initiatives to decrease carbon emissions and congestion by
providing more space for electric-vehicle charging stations, car share and
micro-mobility.
As a consequence of parking demand increasing and parking supply
decreasing, the competition for road space is on the rise. The challenges and
pressure points vary around the city and are different depending on the time
of day and day of the week. In addition to competition for road space between
road users, there is competition between users of the parking system, for
example, residents, commuters and shoppers.
3.1.3
Access needs are not always met
Wellington is a people-centred city and we want to enable everyone to
contribute and participate, including those that do not drive. As well as those
that choose not to drive, many people face social and physical barriers and we
need to ensure the city is accessible for all. For those who find active and
public transport does not meet their needs, such as disabled people, older
people, and parents with young children, their expectation is for an accessible
city where they can readily access facilities, goods and services when and
where they need to. The reality is that this expectation is not always met.
3.1.4
Climate change
In June 2019 Wellington declared a climate emergency and set the goal to
become a zero-carbon capital by 2050. This means the Council will put
protecting our environment and climate change at the front and centre of
decision-making. We anticipate that we need to significantly reduce carbon
emissions between 2020 and 2030.
Road vehicle emissions comprise approximately 38 percent of the city’s carbon
emissions. How we manage parking can support many of the proposed
emissions reduction initiatives such as:
• prioritising road space for active and public transport modes
• allocating more on-street parking spaces for car share vehicles
• electric vehicle charging facilities and pick up/drop off areas for ride
share services
• providing micro-mobility parking to encourage their uptake.
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The price of parking can also be used to influence how often and where people drive.
3.1.5
The value of parking is not fully recognised
Pricing of most Council-controlled parking is not fully user pays. The price at the
meter or for the permit does not take in to account the full costs of parking
vehicles, such as the lost opportunity to use the space for something else, the lost
amenity and the cost on the environment.
Price can also exclude people who cannot afford to pay for parking at all.
Parking fees did not change between 2009 and 2017. As a result, how we set
parking fees or the outcome from any price change is not always clear to the
community. We need a clear pricing methodology that is linked to the parking
policy’s objectives.
3.1.6
Parking management should be tailored to local areas
Parking issues often involve factors such as transport issues, urban planning
decisions, the topography, and the nature of local business, services and facilities.
Parking management also needs to consider the relationship between both the on-
street and nearby off-street parking.
If we do not consider all these factors, parking in some areas may not achieve:
• the best use of the space
• maximising the number of spaces per area
• the ideal turnover of cars per space
• the ideal occupancy rate for the space.
Using a tailored and ‘whole-of-system’ approach is called area-based parking
management.
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3.2 Summary: what do these factors mean for parking
management?
There is tension between competing interests of parking availability, using public
space and parking affordability.
Demand is increasing due to:
• population growth
• an aging population
• increasing car ownership rates per household, and
• business growth in the city centre.
Council supply is decreasing due to:
• the loss of parking buildings from earthquake damage
• reallocating road space to better allow for national, regional and city
priorities to support pedestrian-focused developments, and increase
travel using active and public transport
• reprioritising Council-managed off-street parking for other
purposes, and
• supporting initiatives to decrease carbon emissions and congestion
People often expect parking when and where they need it, at a reasonable price,
but the Council on-street parking supply is decreasing and is expected to continue
to decrease. Many areas of the city have complex and challenging parking issues
because of this.
Some people are keen and able to switch to using active or public transport but
the incentives (or conversely disincentives) to make this change are often not
strong enough to do so. For many people, driving a private vehicle and parking is
still cheaper, easier and more convenient than using other types of transport.
To achieve the type of the city we want, our parking needs to change. We need to
make sure that parking aligns more clearly with our strategic fit diagram on page 5
of this document. The Policy provides guidance on how to balance these challenges.
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4. The Parking Policy
The policy is made up of the following components:
• parking objectives – what we want to achieve
• guiding principles – how we will make parking decisions
• parking space hierarchy – how we will prioritise parking in different areas of the
city
• area-based approach – how we will take an area-by-area approach to making
parking changes in the city.
The policy will be supported by parking management tools – how we manage
demand and supply in different parts of the city. This includes the enforcement of
parking rules through the Wellington Consolidated Bylaw 2008 Part 7: Traffic.
4.1 Parking policy objectives
The parking policy objectives set out what we want to achieve – now and into the
future. The objectives are designed to guide the Council when it makes parking
decisions.
Cities are complex and Wellington is in the process of moving from a transport
system that is car dependent to one where active (eg, walking and cycling) and
public transport will play a bigger role. There is a natural tension between some
objectives, and this is unavoidable. Parking decisions will often require trade-offs
between competing demands. One of the most difficult trade-offs is between
immediate private/individual benefits and changes that benefit the wider
community and the community of the future.
The objectives (in no particular order):
• Support shift in type of transport used – facilitate a shift to using active (eg,
walking and cycling) and public transport through parking management and
pricing, to move more people driving fewer vehicles.
• Support safe movement – facilitate the safe and efficient movement of people
and goods by focusing on people moving along transport corridors rather than
people parking or storing stationary vehicles.
• Support business wellbeing – ensure parking management and pricing controls
support economic activity in the central city, suburban centres and mobile trades
and services.
• Support city place-making, amenity and safety – ensure on-street parking
design and placement supports overall city amenity, safety, community building,
heritage, creative arts, good urban design outcomes and attractive streetscapes.
• Support access for all – ensure disabled people, older people, people who are
pregnant, and people with babies can access the city, Council facilities, and
venues. This will be achieved, in part, through an improvement in mobility
parking across the city.
• Support move to becoming an eco-city – facilitate the uptake of car sharing,
electric vehicles and other transport with low carbon emissions. Manage parking
and incentivise a decrease in vehicle use to contribute to a reduced carbon
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emissions, better water quality, air quality, stormwater management and
biodiversity outcomes.
• Deliver service excellence and a safe working environment – provide a
high standard of customer service for people who use Council parking spaces to
support users to make well-informed parking decisions. This includes introducing
self-service and automated processes for all parking charges and permits to
improve the parking experience (as technology allows) and improving the
availability of parking information. Ensure a safe working environment for those
who deliver the parking service.
4.2 Parking policy principles
The parking policy principles set out how we will apply and manage the policy.
The principles (in no particular order):
Principle A: make iterative parking changes that are linked to
improvements in the overall transport system, specifically
improvements to public transport, walking and cycling. Any parking
management changes will consider the effect that related changes in
revenue will have on ratepayers.
The city is in a period of transition where significant investment is being made to
do this, but it will take time.
Consequently, changes to how parking is provided and managed need to be
made incrementally over time, in consultation with effected communities, and
support and be aligned to improvements in the overall public and active transport
system.
The changes also need to consider the broader context of the Council’s funding,
and the effect any changes could have on ratepayers.
Principle B: manage the decreasing supply of Council- controlled parking
by prioritising how space is used and who uses the spaces to achieve an
optimum level of use.
We have developed a parking space hierarchy for different parts of the city to
ensure that limited parking supply is prioritised appropriately. The parking space
hierarchy forms a key part of the new parking policy. See the next section for more
details.
Principle C: ensure that access to the city centre, Council facilities and
suburban centres is inclusive and prioritises people who can’t use active
and/or public transport, and those that do not drive.
The parking policy prioritises on-street and off- street mobility parking spaces and
supports designated parking spaces for a broader group, for example, older people,
people who are pregnant, and people with babies at Council parking buildings and
facilities where there is known demand and it is practicable to do so.
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Principle D: parking is priced at a level that achieves policy objectives, is
consistent with broader transport objectives and supports Let’s Get
Wellington Moving.
The overall approach to pricing favours making smaller pricing changes more
frequently over larger infrequent changes. The Council will ensure that any
increases are reasonable, justifiable, well communicated, and linked to policy
objectives. The pricing methodology will be based on achieving the best use and
highest priority uses for the parking spaces. Pricing will better reflect the demand,
the land value and the opportunity and environmental costs of providing parking.
Principle E: support local area-based parking plans where there is
evidence-based need and community support.
Introduce area-based planning to ensure more holistic travel and transport
planning that supports the best possible mix of active and public transport, off-
street and on-street parking, and footpath and vehicle usage. A more joined-up
approach will consider the use of the on and off-street space for pedestrians,
active and public transport, and vehicles.
From time to time parking issues arise that require a tailored approach for an
area of the city. The area surrounding the airport – where there was significant
overflow of airport parking – is a recent example of that. In the future, any
significant change to the transport infrastructure in a particular area will affect
the provision of parking and also require a ‘whole-of-transport-system’
approach.
Local area-based parking plans would provide guidance to improve transport
services and manage parking based on local circumstances. The Council could then
make decisions on transport and parking management based on evidence and select
from a wide range of tools to achieve the best use of the space.
Local area-based parking plans should be developed in discussion with the local
community and residents, key employers, service providers and business
stakeholders to consider local issues and ensure collaboration with others to resolve
problems.
Principle F: primarily focus the Council’s role on prioritising existing space,
not on increasing parking supply. This includes considering alternative
higher-value use of the land currently used for parking.
In the central city, the Council is a small provider of parking supply and
management. In the long term the National Policy Statement for Urban
Development will influence the supply of parking with new developments and the
Council can influence the provision, design and location of off-street parking through
the District Plan. In the short-term the Council is focusing on prioritising the use and
the users of the 14 percent of central area parking spaces it controls, and parking
more generally in the rest of the city.
From time to time, the Council may provide additional temporary parking to support
the Let’s Get Wellington Moving work programme.
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Principle G: provide accessible and timely (and where necessary, real-time)
information on parking space location, availability, price, regulation and
penalties.
The congestion resulting from driving around the city searching for a vacant and
appropriate parking space can be reduced by improving the level of and accessibility
to parking information so that parking users can make informed choices about their
travel and parking options.
Parking space occupancy and compliance can also be improved by providing more
information and making it easier for drivers to find that information.
Principle H: align Council business operations and relevant
policies with the parking policy and report annually on
performance.
To ensure that related transport and land-use policies and guidance give
effect to the parking policy and to ensure the Council can determine whether
it is managing its parking effectively and efficiently, it will monitor long-term
outcome indicators of its business operations plus performance measures to
ensure objectives are being met. Where they are not being met, the Council
can make the necessary changes to how parking is being managed.
4.3 How we will know we are successful
To help clarify the intent of the objectives and principles, the following long-
term measures and indicators will show the impact the policy is having. The
desired trend is indicated.
Primary measures directly attributable to implementing the parking policy:
• Ratio of residents’ parking permits to spaces - decrease
• Number of mobility parks – increase
• Mobility parks design meets Council guidelines – increase
• Number of car share spaces – increase
• Number of EV charging spaces – increase
• Non-user parking at parks, sports, recreation and other community
facilities designated parking during opening hours decreases
Secondary measures indirectly attributable to implementing the parking
policy:
• Car usage rates - decrease
• Travel times on key routes – decrease
• Public transport, walking, cycling and micro-mobility trips – increase
• Retail spend – maintain / increase
• Retail foot traffic – increase
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• Proportion of road corridor used for parking – decreases
Plus continue to report, through the Annual Report process, on the following
three performance measures:
• Parking utilisation - improves
• Residents’ satisfaction of parking availability – improves
• Residents’ perception of enforcement fairness – improves.
4.4 Parking space hierarchy – how we will prioritise parking
As Wellington city grows, the demand for the limited supply of on-street and
Council off-street space will also grow. This demand must be managed to reduce
congestion and ensure reasonable access for all.
As parking demands vary in different locations throughout the city, we have set
priorities for the types of area:
• key transport routes
• the central area (central business district)
• suburban town centres – such as the shopping precincts of Kilbirnie,
Johnsonville, Tawa, Karori etc
• city fringe areas
• residential streets
• our parks, sports, recreation and other community facilities
• Council-managed off-street parking.
This pressure will be highest in business and retail centres where there are
concentrations of public services, and at recreation facilities. Improvements to
support active and public transport will require extra road space to operate
safely and efficiently.
We have developed a parking space hierarchy that supports the transport
priorities to guide us when we are making parking provision decisions and
allocating parking spaces. The parking space hierarchy describes which types of
parking have the highest and lowest priorities in different areas. It also sets out
the priority level for that type of parking space, not the amount of spaces. For
example, mobility parking is a high priority in most areas but not all spaces
available will be mobility parking spaces.
Location
Highest priority
High priority
Medium priority
Low priority
Lower priority
Lowest priority
Key
transport routes
Safe and
efficient
movement of
people and
goods
(footpaths, bus
lanes,
cycleways, no
stopping
zones/clearways,
construction and
maintenance
works)
Bus stops
Urban design features
Mobility
Loading zones
Bicycle/micro-mobility
Car share
Electric-vehicle
charging
Short-stay (car &
motorcycle)
SPSV*/taxi stands
Coach and bus (short
stay)
Residents
Commuter (car &
motorcycle)
Coach and bus (long
stay)
The lowest priority
across all areas is
Long stay parking of
private non-
motorised vehicles
(trailers, towed
caravans, boats),
advertising vehicles,
heavy commercial
vehicles and
motorhomes
Central city
(does not include
the bus
interchange)
Bus stops
Mobility
Urban design features
Bicycle/micro-mobility
Loading zone
Short-stay (car &
motorcycle)
Car share
SPSV*/taxi stands
Electric-vehicle
charging
Coach and bus (short
stay)
Coach and bus (long-
stay)
Residents
Commuter (car &
motorcycle)
Suburban
centres
(shopping
precincts)
Bus stops
Mobility
Urban design features
Bicycle/micro-mobility
Short stay (car &
motorcycle)
Car share
Loading zones
SPSV*/taxi stands
Electric-vehicle
charging
Coach and bus (short
stay)
Residents
Commuter (car &
motorcycle)
Coach and bus (long
stay)
City fringe and
inner city
suburbs
Bus stops
Urban design features
Residents
Car share
Bicycle/micro-mobility
Mobility
Electric-vehicle
charging
Short-stay (car &
motorcycle)
Loading zones
Coach and bus (short
stay)
SPSV*/taxi stands
Commuter (car &
motorcycle)
Coach and bus (long
stay)
Outer residential
areas
Bus stops
Urban design features
Residents
Car share
Mobility
Electric-vehicle
charging
Coach and bus
Short-stay parks (car
& motorcycle)
Loading zones
Bicycle/micro-
mobility
SPSV*/taxi stands
Commuter (car &
motorcycle)
(short stay)
Coach and bus (long
stay)
Council parks,
sports, recreation
and community
facilities off-
street parking
3
Bicycle/micro-mobility
Mobility
Short-stay (car &
motorcycle)
Coach and bus (short
and long stay)
Urban design features
Electric-vehicle
charging
Car share
SPSV*/taxi stands
Loading zones
Residents
Commuter (car &
motorcycle)
Council’s
off-street parking
N/A
Bicycle/micro-mobility
Mobility
Short-stay (car &
motorcycle)
Coach and bus (short
and long stay)
Urban design features
Car share
Electric-vehicle
charging
Commuter (car &
motorcycle)
Loading zones
Bus stops
Residents
SPSV*/taxi stands
3
Note the following exemption - Council land held under the Reserves Act 1977 and the Wellington Town Belt Act 2016
can only be used for recreation and other reserves purposes
18
Parking Policy August 2020
4.5 Area-based approach – how will we implement the new
policy
As suburbs in Wellington City are a mix of more than one type of parking area, an
integrated approach (area-based plan) will need to consider, at a minimum, the
following:
• Planning for Growth and the review of the District Plan
• the private and commercial off-street parking supply and demand
• current rates of illegal parking such as overstaying, non-payment and parking
on the footpaths.
• the needs of schools and early childhood centres
• current and proposed transport system improvements
• current and proposed location of amenities
• current occupancy and turnover rates.
The area-based plans would be developed in discussion with local communities.
It is important the community is involved in the development of options but
decisions must be evidence-based.
The timing for developing and implementing each area- based plan will be based on
the following triggers:
• Let’s Get Wellington Moving project delivery timeframes
• Wellington City Council Network Connections, Bus Priority and other significant
transport projects
• significant public health and safety risks
• technological capability and improvements
• high rates of illegal parking such as overstaying, non-payment and parking on
the footpaths.
4.6 Our parking management tools – how we will manage
demand and supply
The Council’s priority is to improve active and public transport infrastructure to
decrease single occupancy private vehicle use and, therefore, decrease the demand
for parking. Although significant funding is earmarked for this, the shift in travel
behaviour takes time and the demand for parking still needs to be managed. When
parking demand exceeds parking supply, we will use a range of parking management
tools to address these issues.
The parking management tools will be introduced incrementally, depending on the
need and what parking management system is already in place.
For example, if the parking problem is already severe, and lower interventions are
already in place, the intervention for a severe level will be applied. The parking
management tools seek to achieve the parking space hierarchy for the affected area.
The price of parking will be used to get the best use of spaces (optimal occupancy
and turnover) while parking designations, and permit schemes or restrictions will be
Parking Policy August 2020
19
used to provide spaces for priority parking use types – such as mobility parking, car
share parking and loading zones.
An ongoing activity that will complement the parking management tools detailed in
the following tables is to explore options with partner organisations to increase active
and public transport use, such as travel demand management planning incentives,
and bus scheduling. Due to the varied timeframes for implementing improvements to
active and public transport some parking management changes will need to be made
as a transitionary measure.
Please refer to the specific area-based parking management plan, as they are
developed, for the area designation and information on other supporting transport
changes.
4.6.1
Approach for pricing Council parking
The most important tool to manage parking is the fee paid by parking space users,
whether this is an hourly rate, the price of a permit or a discount or subsidy. Pricing
remained unchanged from 2009 until 2017, although the Council increased the area
where fees are charged, and it has not always been clear to the community how those
fees have been derived or what the outcome is from the price change. Long term, the
parking policy, as it is implemented, will shift to a more demand-based and dynamic
approach to pricing and will link to the objectives and parking space hierarchy.
For example, we will introduce a new hourly rate or a higher hourly rate in areas
where short-stay parking is a high priority and vehicles currently park for long periods
of time. To encourage people to move on from parking spaces within a reasonable
time,
4
the hourly rate will increase exponentially over time. Parking time restrictions
will be removed. If the turnover of vehicles is not high enough to provide adequate
access to retail, services and entertainment, the hourly rate will be increased.
Conversely, in areas where parking occupancy is very low, either at all times or only
at certain times of the day or week, the hourly rate will be decreased to encourage
people to move from parking in areas of high demand to the areas of low demand.
This parking approach is a mix of demand-responsive parking and exponential
parking charges.
The shift to a new pricing approach for the city is dependent on amending the
current Wellington Consolidated Bylaw 2008 Part 7: Traffic and securing funding for
new parking infrastructure and technology. In the short-term, pricing could reflect
demand. When pricing could be introduced or when current prices need to change is
explained in more detail in the following area-specific parking hierarchies.
4
A reasonable time frame will be determined as part of the implementation of a new
demand responsive pricing regime. This may vary in different parts of the city
20
Parking Policy August 2020
In addition, it is proposed the Council reviews who is paying to use the street space
to ensure all users of street space are charged appropriately and fairly. This includes
consideration of appropriate charges for commercial use of street space such as taxi
stands, loading zones, private bus/coach parking, micro-mobility and car share
scheme parking. Where certain use types need to be encouraged, charging may be
low or temporarily removed until the incentive is no longer required.
4.6.2
Parking management tools for key transport routes
Key transport routes
5
include roads and streets where there are higher priority
transport requirements, such as public transport over on-street parking. On these
roads, on-street parking will need to be reduced or removed; either during peak
traffic hours only or at all times, to create the road space for dedicated bus lanes or
other forms of active and public transport.
The following parking management tools will be implemented over time based on
the parking space hierarchy for key transport routes outlined in section 4.4.
5
Key transport routes have not been identified in the policy to provide for
flexibility as bus and other public transport routes may change over time. Please
refer to the specific area-based plan for the detail on area designation.
Parking Policy August 2020
21
Parking management
issue
Parking management tools
On-street parking is
impeding vehicle movement
on key transport routes
during peak hours. For
example, peak hour bus
journeys take longer due to
vehicles parked on the
street.
Introduce a clearway to
restrict parking during the
peak hours only.
Intervention
hierarchy
based on level
of effect:
Low to severe
On-street parking is
frequently impeding vehicle
movement on a key
transport route in peak and
off-peak hours.
Remove on-street parking
from the key transport route.
Reassign parking
designations in the side
streets, if required, following
the relevant parking space
hierarchy.
Demand for parking in side
streets off the key transport
route increases.
Introduce time restrictions.
Following the
introduction of time
restrictions, demand for
parking in side streets off
the key transport route
increases.
Introduce parking charges.
There is limited alternative
parking in the side streets
off the key transport route.
Consider increasing off-street
parking supply.
This may be through shared
parking arrangements with
existing private or commercial
parking facilities or the
creation of a new parking
facility. New parking facilities
may or may not be managed
by the Council and may be a
short or long-term solution.
22
Parking Policy August 2020
4.6.3
Parking management tools for the central city
The use of on-street short-stay parking is important to support access to the retail,
service and entertainment sectors in the central city. The management of demand
needs to be agile to respond both in price and parking restrictions to enable people
to access parking when and where it is needed. There is a large supply of non-
Council off-street parking in this area which provides for long-stay parking, allowing
our short stay on-street parking to be purposely targeted. This applies to the on-
street space for four and two-wheeled vehicles (typically both cars and
motorcycles/mopeds).
There are distinct parking zones in the central city based on parking space occupancy
and vehicle turnover patterns. To make the best use of parking spaces (not over or
under-occupied), the price per hour needs to be high enough to reduce demand
when occupancy is over 85 percent and low enough to maintain average occupancy
above 50 percent. The parking space designations need to be actively managed to
ensure that the highest priority parking types are available where possible.
The following parking management tools will be implemented over time based on the
parking space hierarchy for the central city as outlined in section 4.4
Parking Policy August 2020
23
Existing pay-by-space parking for four-wheeled vehicles
Parking management issue Parking management
tools
High demand scenario
Demand for parking is minor or
alternative private off-street
parking is available.
Accept effects.
Intervention
hierarchy
based on
level of
effect:
Low to severe
Demand for parking increases
and overstaying and/or non-
payment is becoming frequent.
Increase enforcement to
increase compliance.
Demand for parking is high
(occupancy of spaces is
consistently over 85 percent,
turnover is low, duration of stay
regularly exceeds three hours,
and non-compliance is high).
1.Increase hourly charge
during the periods of high
occupancy.
2.Extend charging timeframe
to times
of the day and week
where demand is increasing.
3.
Introduce exponential pricing
to encourage turnover.
Demand for parking continues
even where exponential charges
are in place.
Increase the hourly rates
during the periods of high
occupancy (over
85 percent).
Demand for parking continues to
occur and price increases have
not sufficiently reduced demand
(occupancy continues to
regularly exceed 85 percent).
Consider shared use
agreements with private
parking providers.
Low demand scenario
Low occupancy of on-street
short- stay parking (occupancy
of spaces is consistently under
50 percent).
Decrease the hourly rate
during the periods of low
occupancy.
Intervention
hierarchy
based on level
of effect:
Low to
significant
Low occupancy of on-street
short-stay parking continues
despite decreasing hourly rate
(occupancy of spaces continues
to be consistently under 50
percent).
Reduce the charging
timeframe;
Parking Policy August 2020
23
The following management tools for motorcycle parking are similar to those for four-
wheeled vehicles.
Competition for motorcycle parking is already high and as competition for public on-
street road space increases, it is expected that long-stay or commuter motorcycle
parking in the central city will need to shift to commercial off-street parking facilities.
It is likely that time restrictions or pricing will need to be introduced to manage
demand.
The Council will prioritise short-stay parking and access to facilities and services in
the city for motorcycles over long-stay or commuter parking.
The management tools will apply bay by bay and not necessarily be applied to all
motorcycle parking bays in all locations in the central city at the same time. The
management tool used will reflect the demand and use pattern in that area, which
will vary during the day and during the week.
Parking for motorcycles at on-street motorcycle parking bays
Parking management issue Parking management tools
High demand scenario
Demand for motorcycle
parking is minor or alternative
private off-street parking is
available and being used.
Accept effects.
Intervention
hierarchy
based on
level of
effect:
Low to
severe
Demand for motorcycle
parking increases and
inappropriate parking more
common (such as parking on
the footpath).
Increase enforcement to increase
compliance.
Demand for motorcycle
parking is high (occupancy of
spaces is consistently over 85
percent, turnover is low,
duration of stay regularly
exceeds three hours, and non-
compliance is high).
Introduce time restrictions to
prioritise short-stay parking of
motorcycle and to increase turnover
of spaces during the periods of
highest occupancy.
Demand for motorcycle
parking remains high,
(occupancy of spaces is
consistently over 85 percent,
turnover is low, duration of
stay regularly exceeds three
hours, and non-compliance is
high).
1. Introduce a parking charge
proportional to the road space
used per motorcycle during the
periods of highest occupancy.
2. Extend charging timeframe to
times of the day or week where
demand is increasing.
3. Introduce exponential pricing to
encourage turnover.
24
Parking Policy August 2020
Demand for motorcycle
parking continues even where
exponential charges are in
place.
Increase the hourly rates during the
periods of high occupancy (over 85
percent).
Demand for motorcycle
parking continues to occur
and price increases have not
sufficiently reduced demand
(occupancy continues to
regularly exceed 85 percent).
Consider shared use agreements
with private parking providers or
other ways to increase motorcycle
parking space supply.
Low demand scenario
Low occupancy of on-street
motorcycle parking at certain
times of the day or day of the
week (occupancy of bay
space is consistently under
50 percent).
Explore opportunities for shared use
of the space at times of low demand.
Intervention
hierarchy
based on level
of effect:
Low to
significant
Where charges are in place:
Low occupancy of on-street
motorcycle parking
(occupancy of bay spaces is
consistently under 50
percent).
Decrease the hourly rate during
periods of low occupancy.
Where time restrictions are in
place: Low occupancy of on-
street short-stay motorcycle
parking continues despite
decreasing hourly rate
(occupancy of spaces
continues to be consistently
under 50 percent).
Reduce charging timeframe or time
restriction.
After removing time
restrictions and charges: Low
occupancy of on-street
motorcycle parking
(occupancy of bay space
continues to be consistently
under 50 percent).
Consider whether the location and/ or
provision of the motorcycle bay is
appropriate. Apply the parking space
hierarchy for the central city when
determining future use of the road
space.
Parking Policy August 2020
25
4.6.4
Parking management tools for suburban centres
Our suburban centres are active retail destinations and important for local
community services. Parking has tended to be less stringently managed and supply
is more readily available in these areas. However, with an increasing population and
placing a higher priority on active and public transport over parking on key transport
routes, it is expected that parking will be more constrained in the future. Increased
tools to manage demand are expected to be needed and are described as follows.
As the population grows, the National Policy Statement for Urban Development 2020
may create a demand shift for more on-street parking, over the next few decades, in
areas with good access to public transport.
The following parking management tools will be implemented gradually over
time based on the parking space hierarchy for suburban centres as outlined in
section 4.4.
Parking management
issue
Parking management
tools
High demand scenario
Demand for parking is minor
or alternative private off-
street parking is available.
Accept effects.
Intervention hierarchy
based on level of
impact: Low to severe
Demand for parking
increases and overstaying
and/or non-payment is
becoming frequent.
Increase enforcement to
increase compliance.
Demand for parking is high
(occupancy of spaces is
often over 85 percent,
turnover is low, turnover of
spaces is low, and non-
compliance is high).
1. Introduce or reduce (if
in place) time limit
restrictions.
2. Increase enforcement to
ensure compliance.
Demand for parking
continues to increase,
(occupancy of spaces is
consistently over 85
percent, turnover is low,
duration of stay regularly
exceeds current time
restriction, and non-
compliance is high).
Introduce charges when
parking occupancy is high.
Demand for parking occurs
during time periods outside
of current charging
timeframe (occupancy of
spaces is consistently over
Extend charging timeframe
into new time periods.
26
Parking Policy August 2020
Parking management
issue
Parking management
tools
High demand scenario
85 percent, non-
compliance is high).
Demand for parking
continues to occur and
price increases have not
sufficiently reduced
demand (occupancy
continues to regularly
exceed 85 percent).
Consider shared use
agreements with private
parking providers or other
ways to increase parking
space supply.
Low demand scenario
Low occupancy of on-street
short-stay parking occurs
(occupancy of spaces is
consistently under 50
percent at evenings and
weekends).
Decrease the hourly rate
during the periods of low
occupancy.
Low occupancy of on-street
short-stay parking
continues despite
decreasing hourly rate
(occupancy of spaces
continues to be consistently
under 50 percent).
Reduce charging timeframe
for parking.
Intervention hierarchy
based on level of effect:
Low to significant
Low occupancy of on-street
short-stay parking
continues despite reducing
charging timeframe and
decreasing hourly rate
(occupancy of spaces
continues to be consistently
under 50 percent).
Remove parking charges
and any time restrictions.
Parking Policy August 2020
27
4.6.5
Parking management tools for city fringe and inner-city suburbs
There are many parking pressures in the city fringe and inner-city suburbs and
often there is limited commercial and private off-street parking. Residents’ parking
schemes prioritise residents to park on the street, and coupon parking schemes
allow commuters to park close to the city relatively cheaply.
As the population grows, the National Policy Statement for Urban Development
2020 may create a demand shift for more on-street parking, over the next few
decades, in areas with good access to public transport.
The parking policy introduces a two-stage approach with changes based on the
severity of the parking situation. Firstly, where the effect is moderate, the demand
can be managed by making changes to the existing scheme. Secondly, if the
demand continues or where the effect is severe, introduce the new scheme.
The new scheme is based on a short stay (P120) approach with “resident exempt”
permits for eligible residents. This follows the Auckland Transport model
introduced gradually from 2016 and enables short-stay visits for tradespeople and
visitors at the same time as discouraging daily commuters parking in the city
fringe where it conflicts with residents.
It is anticipated that over time all inner-city suburbs, including Newtown, will
need to change to the new scheme.
The following parking management tools will be implemented gradually over time
based on the parking space hierarchy for city fringe areas as outlined in section
4.4.
Before any new resident-exempt parking scheme can be introduced, funding will
need to be secured for a new permitting system and the supporting technology
infrastructure. Operational guidelines for a new resident-exempt scheme will be
developed and amendments made to the Consolidated Wellington Bylaw 2008 Part
7: Traffic to ensure compliance and enforcement of a new scheme. Once a new
scheme is in place, the pre-2020 schemes will be known as ‘legacy’ residents’
parking schemes.
28
Parking Policy August 2020
Parking management
issue
Parking management
tools
Stage One: parking demand or conflict is minor to moderate, and a current
residents’ scheme exists
Demand for parking is minor
or alternative private off-
street parking supply is
adequate.
Accept effects.
Intervention
hierarchy based
on level of
effect: Low to
severe
Demand for parking is
moderate, turnover is low
and there is conflict
between users.
1. Increase monitoring and
enforcement to ensure
compliance with the scheme.
2. Reduce, relocate or remove
coupon parking in zones
where it conflicts with
residents and apply the
parking space hierarchy
priorities for city fringe to
reallocate the parking spaces
for active transport and low
carbon vehicles.
Demand for parking
remains moderate; turnover
remains low and there is
increasing conflict between
users.
1.
Restrict permits to
households where there is no
off-street parking (availability
of off-street parking
determined by whether there
is a kerb crossing to a
residential address and/ or a
valid encroachment license).
2.
Reduce permits to
households where there is no
off-street parking to one
permit each.
Stage two: parking demand or conflict is significant – introduce new scheme
Demand for parking is
significant (eg, ratio of
permits issued to available
parking spaces is higher
than 2:1). Parking turnover
is too low to provide short-
stay access for residents.
Parking conflict between
users is significant.
Residents’ scheme and
coupon permit
infringements are high.
Introduce new residents’ parking
scheme as per below.
The introduction of a new
scheme will require community
consultation and the
implementation of a new
permitting system.
Intervention
hierarchy based
on level of
effect: Low to
severe
Parking Policy August 2020
29
Design for a new residents’ parking scheme
The introduction of a scheme to an area will be guided by the ratio of households
with off-street parking to households with no off-street parking. We will consider
introducing a resident-exempt parking scheme in those areas and streets where
the proportion of households without any off-street parking exceeds 40 percent.
6
The following priorities will be applied until the exemption permit limit (85 percent of
total available spaces) is reached.
7
1. Mobility permit holders (with residents parking permits for all mobility
permit holders in a household)
2. Electric vehicle owners with no off-street parking
3. Pre-1930s houses or pre-1940s apartments with no off-street parking
4. Other pre-2020 dwellings with no off-street parking (those built after the
1940s but before 2020)
5. Businesses located within the parking zone
6. Second permits for priority dwellings as follows:
a) multi-occupied dwellings pre-1930s with no off-street,
b) multi-occupied dwelling no off-street
c) businesses within the zone with no off-street parking
7. First permit for all existing dwellings with one or more off-street parking
space
8. First permit for all dwellings built after 2020
9. Second permits for all other dwellings
following the priorities above until cap is reached.
The new scheme design would be tailored to address specific parking objectives or
overcome particular parking issues:
Scheme issue Scheme design feature
Insufficient on-street parking for residents
with no off-street parking and for visitors.
Competition for space with daily,
predominantly weekday, commuters.
Move and/or reduce the amount of
coupon parking. Increase supply for
residents and parking turnover for
short-stay visitors. In high-demand
areas, this may include pay-by-
space parking. Provide street space
for micro-mobility parking, mobility
parks, and car share scheme
spaces.
6
Based on 2019/20 data as the baseline and categorises off-street capacity to include
any of the following: a driveway via a kerb crossing; a garage (whether or not it is
actively being used to store a vehicle) or an encroachment licence issued for the
purpose of parking. Current data to be used at the time of implementing any new
scheme.
7
The priority ranking does not determine the number of parking spaces allocated. Multi-
occupied dwellings will receive two exemption permits where other criteria are met.
30
Parking Policy August 2020
Scheme issue Scheme design feature
Large resident parking zone areas resulting
in people driving within zone to be closer to
the central city/shops/ other amenities or
people “storing” secondary cars away from
their home.
Design smaller exemption zone areas.
Enable closer management of supply and
demand, but with enough scope to
support short-term visitors and
tradespeople.
Cap on overall permits available (85
percent of spaces available). Set
annual application and renewal date
and only issue permits for 12 months
(with refund option for those moving
out of an area).
Improve scheme administration efficiency
and costs. Inappropriate use of permits.
Provide reasonable access by private
vehicle for visitors and tradespeople.
Cease the suburban trade permit
scheme. Provide a set number of
one-day coupons for residents in
residential parking zones per annum
visitors and tradespeople can use.
Introduce online applications and
permits.
Support accessibility for disabled residents
with limited alternative transport options.
Price differentials possible for:
• mobility permit holders discount
option
• multiple permit holders, second
permit more expensive.
Parking Policy August 2020
31
4.6.6
Parking management tools for outer residential areas
With population growth and the increased use of public transport there is sometimes
pressure on Greater Wellington Regional Council’s off-street park and ride facilities
causing overspill into surrounding residential streets. There are also informal park
and ride situations where people are driving part way to a transport hub, and
parking on the street before using public transport. They are often parking for more
than four hours on streets close to a bus stop or train station.
In most residential streets in the city this does not cause any conflict with
businesses, Council recreation or community facilities, or residents because
there are sufficient commercial and private off-street capacity (more than 40
percent of businesses and households have access to off-street parking) to
meet the needs of the high priority parking. However, in some streets, at
some times of the day or days of the week, the overspill leads to conflict,
restricts access or compromises the safety of road users.
The following parking management tools will be implemented based on the
parking space hierarchy for residential areas as outlined in section 4.4.
Parking management
issue
Parking management tools
Overspill activity has a
minor effect on parking in
neighbouring streets.
Accept overspill.
Intervention
hierarchy based
on level of
effect:
Low to severe
Overspill activity has a
moderate effect on parking
in neighbouring streets.
1. Increase monitoring and
enforcement to
discourage illegal parking
activity.
2. Introduce time restrictions.
Overspill activity has a
significant effect on parking
in neighbouring streets.
Overspill parking is creating
a safety hazard, preventing
access for emergency and
service vehicles.
Illegal parking activity is
high (such as parking on
the footpath).
1. Introduce parking
restrictions and
clearways.
2. Introduce a charging
regime to manage
demand.
32
Parking Policy August 2020
4.6.7
Parking management tools for Council parks, and sports,
recreation and other community facilities
The Council often has off-street parking at many of its sports, recreation and
community facilities. They are for the customers and users of Council facilities,
reserves, open spaces and sportsfields. These have tended to be managed locally
and as required by relevant legislation,
8
but with increased parking pressure in some
areas there needs to be agreed tools to manage demand, especially where this
demand is conflicting with the users of the facilities.
At some sites and at some times of the day or week there is overspill on to the
surrounding streets, which can have an effect, not only to those trying to access the
facility, but also with residents or businesses. Therefore, the parking management
tools for the relevant on-street parking area must be considered in conjunction with
the parking management tools for this type of off-street parking.
The following parking management tools will implemented based on the parking
space hierarchy for Council facilities as outlined in section 4.4.
Note that the parking space hierarchy for this area is for the off-street parking only.
Therefore, changes to support active and public transport use to a Council facility,
such as a new bus stop close by, need to be considered using the relevant on-street
parking space hierarchy.
8
Wellington Town Belt Act 2016 and the Reserves Act 1977
9
Time restrictions for the mobility parking spaces may be longer.
Parking management issue Parking management tools
Demand for parking for users and
visitors is minor or alternative on-
street parking is available and not
leading to conflict with other
priority parking space users (such
as residents in a residential area).
Accept effects.
Intervention
hierarchy
based on level
of effect: Low
to severe
Demand for parking for users
and visitors are resulting in more
than 85 percent occupancy rates
at peak facility times and low
parking space turnover.
Introduce a time restriction
suitable to the use of the
facility (such as a swimming
pool, P120
9
, during
swimming pool opening
hours).
Demand for parking for users and
visitors occurs during time
restriction period (occupancy of
spaces is consistently over 85
percent, turnover is low, duration
of stay regularly exceeds current
time restriction, non-compliance
is high, dangerous parking
behaviour increases).
Introduce compliance and
enforcement measures to
deter misuse, such as
clamping, towage or fines.
Introduce access barriers to
the parking areas and
restrict access to
users/visitors of the facility
Parking Policy August 2020
33
Note: There is no management measure for the Council’s other off-street
parking facilities. The Clifton Terrace parking building is owned by Waka Kotahi
NZ Transport Agency, therefore the Council has limited influence over how it is
managed. Waterfront parking is managed under the Wellington Waterfront
Framework that states that any parking on the waterfront is to support people
who visit, live and work on the waterfront and not for commuters. If at any
time in the future the management of other off-street parking facilities is
moved to Wellington City Council then this parking management tool and
associated parking space hierarchy will be applied.
only during opening/peak
use times.
Demand for parking for users
and visitors continues to occur
during time restriction period
despite compliance and
enforcement measures
(occupancy of spaces is
consistently over 85 percent,
turnover is low, duration of stay
regularly exceeds current time
restriction, non-compliance is
high, dangerous parking
behaviour increases).
Introduce parking charges for
users.
Demand for parking for users
and visitors occurs during facility
opening hours and price
increases have not sufficiently
reduced demand (occupancy
regularly exceeds 85 percent,
turnover is low, duration of stay
regularly exceeds current time
restriction, non-compliance is
high, dangerous parking
behaviour increases).
Consider increasing off-street
parking supply.
This may be through shared
parking arrangements with
existing private or
commercial
parking facilities or the
creation of a new parking
facility. Any new parking
facility may or may not be
managed by the Council and
may be a short or long-term
solution.
Parking Policy August 2020
29
5. Ensuring access for all
A mobility parking permit allows you to park in mobility car parks for longer than
the time restriction. Normal parking charges generally still apply.
We are not proposing to change the existing concession for mobility permit
holders, which is, to park:
• for one hour over any time restriction of 30 minutes or longer
• one hour over the time that the permit holder has paid for.
This recognises the extra time needed to get to and from destinations.
The method of payment must be accessible and easy to use. Therefore we will
continue to provide a meter that accepts coins at each mobility car park.
We will continue to encourage the use of Smart Park (a prepaid electronic
meter).In those areas where demand-responsive pricing is introduced, this
pricing approach will not be applied to the designated mobility parking spaces in
that zone. Instead, a flat hourly rate will apply and the usual concessions
outlined above.
This is because mobility parking space need, use and demand does not follow the
same pattern as other parking spaces and people with mobility issues do not
have the choice to park in a low demand parking space or as readily change their
travel plans to avoid peak charge periods.
Monitoring and enforcement of appropriate mobility parking space usage by valid
permit-holders only will increase and improve. This is subject to securing funding
for technology and infrastructure change.
Note, the implementation of this pricing approach is subject to securing available
technology.
J011241
