Parking in the Feilding CBD
It’s been a couple of months since the time limited parking signs were installed and we wanted to say ‘thank you’!
While change always takes some getting used to, the majority of vehicles are parking within the limits and businesses are reporting that shoppers and diners are able to find parking spots easier than before so thank you for doing your part!
At this stage, we are continuing to educate and work with the public to understand where to park and for how long.
Don’t forget that the centre parks on Kimbolton Road do not have time limits. This is the same for the Council owned off-street car parks in the town centre. Two are on Eyre Street (behind Delish and Murrays), and one on Warwick Street. All three are located less than 500m from the Clock Tower.
Why Council implemented time limited parking
We heard from the community loud and clear that were lots of cars overstaying their welcome in the Feilding town centre. To try and make sure that parking spaces are more readily available, Council introduced time limited parking in Feilding to uphold our vision for a prosperous and vibrant town centre while keeping Feilding's parking free.
A two-staged approach
We took the feedback received and developed a two-stage implementation plan.
Installation of time limited parking signage in the core of the town centre alongside an education campaign:
- This includes three different time limits: 30mins, 60mins and 180mins. 30mins parking limits have been centred around key drop-in areas like pharmacies and the post-office. Longer stay areas have been located for shopping, seeing a movie or having a haircut.
- Council will be monitoring the time limits alongside an education campaign. We will leave information on car windscreens on good parking behaviour for those we spot overstaying their welcome. No fines for time limited parking infringements will be issued before 30 June 2024.
- Monitoring and Enforcement of time limits via a Parking Officer, and issuing of fines for those who exceed advertised time limits.
- Council needs to decide on funding arrangements for Stage 2 of the proposal to monitor and enforce time limited parking. This is because the parking fines won’t be sufficient to fund the service, and the community have made it clear they do not want parking meters. As a consequence, the cost of the service will need to be funded via rates.
- Who covers the cost of the service via rates will be considered as part of the draft Long Term Plan 2024 – 2034 which will be consulted on with the community in March 2024. You can have your say on this during the consultation period.
- Enforcement of time limits is planned for weekdays between 9am and 3pm via electronic chalk booking equipment and ticketing software.
- The 3pm end time allows town centre employees to move their cars closer to their workplace before hours of darkness if required for safety reasons.
- Council will also check for expired registration and warrant of fitness as part of monitoring and enforcement.
Mobility Parking Spaces
Mobility parking spaces are reserved for vehicles that display a valid mobility parking permit.
From 1 October 2024, the penalty for parking in a mobility space without displaying a permit is $750. Warnings are currently being issued to cars without a displayed permit. In the near future these spaces will be monitored and penalties enforced.
Parking Alternatives
Take the bus
The Feilding Orbital Bus Service runs 10 times every weekday, and five times on a Saturday.
It departs from Manchester Square and covers key destinations such as Manchester Street School, Feilding High School, Lethbridge Street, Feilding Health Care, Woodland Retirement Village, Feilding Intermediate and Countdown. Visit the Horizons website for more details:
Carpooling
If you're meeting someone in Feilding, arriving in the same car increases the available parks for everyone else. Have a chat with other people at work and see if anyone lives close by for carpooling.