Inner-city Car Parking Changes

This page contains a news story about car parking charges that come in to effect in 2020. Parking zones are being simplified from more than 15 zones down to just 3.

Updated: 25/02/2020 11:15 a.m.

​Parking is always one of ratepayers’ biggest bugbears with Council but hopefully new changes to inner city parking will make the experience a little easier.

The changes will simplify parking zones down from more than 15 to three.

New car park signs will also be installed with larger mPark numbers to make it easier for shoppers and visitors to see what zone they are in. MPark is an online, ticketless way of paying for parking that is proving increasingly popular with Whangārei users.

Whangarei District Council Strategy & Planning Manager Jeff Devine says the new changes mean parking prices have been simplified across the central city – with costs decreasing in some areas and increasing in others.

“As well as simplifying things we hope that the changes will result in greater parking turnover for people making quick trips into the town centre, while encouraging use at less busy car parks – like the Water Street Car Park which will reduce to a $2 all-day charge.”

There will be no changes to outer CBD street parking, Town Basin parking and all other types of parking such as mobility parking, motorcycle parking, clearways and loading zones.

Did you know there are a total of 3,549 car parks in and around the Whangārei central business district? That’s one of the highest numbers of carparks in the country for a city of our size.

Last year Council added more Town Basin parking on the corner of Reyburn and Carruth Streets and Wilsons Parking opened a carpark in James Street. The TAB building removal added 20 new spaces to the Vine Street car park. For Hatea Loop users there is free parking at the Bascule Carpark (80 spaces) and the Pohe Island Carpark (270 spaces).