Canberra business owners have slammed the government's plans to introduce paid parking for after hours and weekends in the city, saying the move will drive down patronage and profits and could harm staff.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Parking hours for all-day tickets bought on weekdays will be extended to until 10.30pm and will rise to $15 from July 1. Workers who park in the city all day will pay $18 a day from 2018.
The changes will reap an extra $5 million over four years for the government, including an extra $1.05 million in new revenue in 2015-16. Parking fines, licences and registration fees have also increased.
Italian and Sons restaurateur Pasquale Trimboli said businesses in the city were disappointed with more paid parking.
"As much as the government want us to thrive, and we always seem to be at the forefront of selling Canberra, they're not really doing much to help restaurants," he said.
"There are more and more businesses right now from new precincts around Canberra and it does make things a little difficult when someone is having dinner, finding a spot and they need to keep topping up their car."
Mr Trimboli, whose popular restaurant Mezzalira is on London Circuit, called for single-ticket parking for up to five hours in the city. He said diners decided where to eat based in part on access to parking.
"We see the difference through weekdays and lunchtimes but it's true Canberrans have been pretty fortunate to get free parking on the weekend," he said.
Thirst restaurant and bar owner Jeff Piper said parking charges affected business adversely.
"I suppose it is balanced in some ways by people always complaining to us that they can never find anywhere to park.
"I understand what their thinking is but, if we're going to have a vibrant city, we need public transport late at night. Recently they cut back on bus services, impacting quite a lot on our staff," he said. "Some of them have to drive now because the bus stops at 10pm."
Canberra CBD Limited boss Jane Easthope warned the city was "unfairly penalised against other town centres". She agreed the plans would deter diners and late-night designated drivers.
NRMA corporate affairs manager Ron Collins criticised motorists being "hit heavier yet again".
"Not only are we concerned about the actual impact of the increases, but we don't seem to be receiving much in return for that additional spending from motorists," he said.
Cleaner Ala Eddine will pay twice from the latest increase because both he and his wife drive to work most days. They already pay a combined $28 each day for parking.
"It is already very expensive to park in the city so it's bad they've decided to increase it again. It's not fair," the Amaroo resident said.
"A lot of our money already goes to parking."
"The bus is no good for me because you need the car to go anywhere when you need to."
The increases are partly designed to encourage drivers to consider public transport and to increase turnover in short-stay parking. Paid parking machines will be also be installed around the Phillip commercial zone to help manage street parking around Woden.
Last year, parking fines brought in about $10.5 million for the government.
Parking fine revenue will increase to $13.6 million in 2015-16 as inspectors work longer hours to enforce limits, including after hours and on weekends.
