City could see more parking wardens

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People shopping in the CBD should expect to see parking wardens out in force after the Nelson Weekly learnt yesterday that parking enforcement could be outsourced.

A recent report into the Nelson City Council’s resource management has recommended that parking enforcement be contracted out.

This will mean that the people in charge of giving out tickets and monitoring time limits will be employed to do so by a private company, which could mean more wardens on the street, checking parking tickets.

While the likely cost of having a privately owned company do the job was not revealed, Nelson City Council chief executive Clare Hadley confirmed that the recommended contractor was Environment Inspections Limited (EIL), who already provides the council with liquor licensing, noise control, dog control and pollution breach services.

Parking tickets and infringements accumulated more than $1 million in revenue last year, but Clare says the council was not looking to see this number grow and it was not the reason for the recommendation.

Clare says the public shouldn’t see any changes to the way they use car parking in town and that they will not see an increase in the amount charged.

“It will mean no change for people in terms of parking.”

While more wardens could hit the streets in search of parking breaches, Clare says it would be up to the public whether there is an increase in tickets.