Plan to cut Christchurch city centre car parks faulted

ACCESS HARDER: Carl Burger, right, is concerned about a proposed reduction in parking spaces outside his business in Madras St.

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Christchurch retailers fear customers will abandon the city centre for suburban shopping malls if more than 100 parking spaces are scrapped.

Christchurch City Council plans for cycle lanes, trees and landscaping will mean the loss of 105 parking spaces in Madras and Barbadoes streets, or nearly half of the current spaces on the sections to be revamped.

Inner-city retailers are already struggling with a faltering economy and strong competition from suburban malls, where parking is free.

Council figures show the growth in new businesses in the city centre in the year to June was 9 per cent, compared with city-wide business growth of 30 per cent.

The owner of Madras St motorcycle accessory shop Tracktion, Carl Burger, said the removal of parking spaces would hit retailers and contradicted council plans to revitalise the city centre.

"If you take parking away it will drive people to the malls because they can park all day and it is easy," he said.

"You cannot say you are trying to coax people into the city centre and then take parking away.

"It will have an impact on the number of people that come to our store. Taking the parking out to replace it with trees seems a bit crazy to me."

Central City Business Association chairman Anthony Gough said the plans were bad for the central city.

"Car parking is critical to the success of businesses in those areas. It will hurt them pretty badly," he said.

"I do not agree with taking that number of parking spaces away to create cycle lanes."

Cr Yani Johanson said the revamp, which the council last week approved for public consultation, had been rushed because of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

"I think it's bad process," he said.

Hagley-Ferrymead Community Board chairman Bob Todd said businesses such as takeaway outlets relied on street parking.

"The feedback we have had is it will impact on many businesses because the immediate car parks will be taken away. To remove the parking from outside a takeaway shop is a bit strange," he said.

"They rely on those parking spaces. If they take many of the parking spaces away, it will be an incentive for people to park in their local malls."

Cycling group Spokes supports the scheme.

Group member Paul de Spa said cycle lanes would help slow traffic and make the area more attractive for shoppers.

"Cars don't spend money, people do. Customers can arrive on foot and by bike and by car," he said.

Council strategy support manager Richard Ball said there was no policy to reduce inner-city parking.

"Council knows that on-street car parks are highly valued and does seek to retain these," he said.

Ball said Christchurch had more than 875 parking spaces per 1000 inner-city employees, compared with 548 in Wellington, 222 in Adelaide and 230 for an average European city.

The council is seeking public views on its cycle-lane plans. Consultation will begin tomorrow and end on October 30.