Far fewer festivalgoers seem to be getting stung by parking fines at this year's Floriade festival, after years of overzealous inspectors.
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Hundreds of thousands of people pour through the gates of the spring festival every year.
But in the past few years, changes to parking rules in the Parliamentary Zone have left punters with a sour taste of Canberra.
One Trip Advisor review lambasts the festival as "nothing but a convenient way to fine incoming visitors".
But this year, National Capital Authority parking inspectors issued only six parking fines around Barrine Drive and in the Regatta Point car park in the first 10 days of Floriade - two for parking in a landscaped area and four for parking on a nature strip or path.
ACT government parking inspectors were yet to issue any parking fines on Barrine Drive, however it is understood most of the area they control is blocked off because of construction.
More broadly, 1188 parking fines have been handed out in NCA-controlled parking zones in the parliamentary zone around Acton, Barton, Parkes and Russell since the start of September.
However the NCA said it had not bumped up its parking inspectors in the area because of Floriade.
The Access Canberra spokeswoman said their inspectors' focus was "pedestrian, vehicular and line of sight safety issues" during the festival.
But she failed to answer how many parking spots had been taken out across the road from Floriade in the ACT government-controlled Acton Park, with construction taking place along West Basin.
The development is bound to put pressure on the precious few parking spaces within a stone's throw of Commonwealth Park.
The NCA said there were an extra 145 parking spaces at Regatta Point this year, compared to last year.
"The NCA usually has 22 one-hour free parking spaces available at Regatta Point car park, in addition there are three spaces allocated for those with the appropriate disability parking permits, and parking for four motorbikes," their spokeswoman said.
"During events, six spaces are allocated to volunteers who work at the National Capital Exhibition and Canberra and Region Visitor Centre, which leaves 16 free one-hour spaces available to the public during Floriade.
"This year the only parking bays that have been included in the Floriade site are those designated for coach parking. An area has been set aside in West Basin for coach parking during Floriade to replace this area. In order to give the coaches sufficient room to wind through the Regatta Point car park, the second bay of car parks is closed."
The ACT government is encouraging people to park and walk to the festival, or catch a shuttle or ACTION bus.
Where to park for Floriade
- The National Convention Centre - $12 a day on weekdays
- The Canberra Institute of Technology Reid campus - $11.30 all day weekdays, free on weekends and public holidays
- Parliamentary Triangle - $2.50 an hour or $12 all day
- London Circuit - $16.70 all day
- Canberra Centre - $11 all day rooftop parking (ticket must be validated), $2 flat rate for Sundays and public holidays
- Mobility pass holders can park for free in the parking lot next to the Regatta Point entry. On weekends and public holidays the Regatta Point car park will be closed to the public allowing visitors with a valid accessible parking passes to park there.
Floriade runs from September 16 to October 15 and is open from 10am to 7pm every day. NightFest runs on September 22-24 and September 29-October 1, from 8-11pm.
Clarification: An earlier version of this article said the NCA had conceded there were fewer parking spaces on-site this year.
