Car parking city

George from Meadowbank

THE DOWNTOWN CARPARK = GONE ❌

The Council now wants to sell the Downtown Carpark, to be torn down – along with its 1,500 parking spaces. Most will know, this is one of the few public parking options that services the downtown central business district and the only option for those who use the ferry to get to Waiheke.

They say the carpark presents a seismic "risk" – not now, but it could do in the future. But here's the thing, we understand the carpark could be seismically strengthened for a nominal cost, while developing above the carpark could return an additional $300m to Council *cough* ratepayers.

CUSTOMS STEET ACCESS = GONE ❌

The Council also wants to improve air quality and ultimately pedestrianise the CBD, so they are going to stop car access to Customs Street.

Neighbouring streets will become more congested as people will have to travel the around-about way to get across town. You see where this is going...

HOBSON STREET FLYOVER = GONE ❌

Council has also decided to demolish the Hobson Street flyover! This will make it even harder to travel east to west across the city!

You have to ask why, at a time of extreme rate hikes, and when households are cutting back, do we need another ideological reimagining of our CBD?

24/7 PARKING CHARGES = MONEY GRAB 🤬

Following a telling off from the Mayor, Auckland Transport delayed its 24/7 CBD parking charges to allow for (what is a completely insincere) consultation before a full roll-out in October.