A new parking zone is being created for St Heliers Village to give people more time to enjoy the popular beachside retail and restaurant hub.
The original plan was reshaped by Auckland Transport (AT), after taking on board feedback received from the community, the local board and business association.
The updated plan balances demand, to make sure shoppers and diners can easily find a park, and to ensure locals have easy access to their amenities, like the bowling club and the beach.
Ōrākei Local Board Chair, Scott Milne says this parking plan has had a long gestation, but the wait has been worth it.
“We had fantastic engagement from the community and business and resident’s associations, which is appreciated.
“It meant a number of good ideas and changes could be incorporated to get a balanced, workable, efficient solution. It encourages the St Heliers Village vibe while ensuring it remains a sort after business destination,” he says.
Responding to St Heliers Village needs – what’s changing?
- Most of St Heliers Village will now move to a P120 parking zone, giving visitors more time to enjoy local cafes, shops and the beach. The new parking zone will operate between Monday to Saturday, and not on Sunday.
- The P120 zone will cover Maheke and Turua Streets, Polygon Road, a beachfront section of Tāmaki Drive before Vale Road and a small part of St Heliers Bay Road past the roundabout with Polygon Road. This will ensure more people can enjoy two hours of free parking without having to cut short their visit or worry about being fined for overstaying in the beachfront town centre.
- After careful consideration of feedback from the community, Goldie Street will now have 29 short-stay parking spaces of 120-minutes (P120) installed, but the remaining 29 spaces will be left as unrestricted spaces for day parking. This will ensure long-term parking spaces are available for all those that need all day parking.
- St Heliers Bay Road will retain the P60 parking time restriction to support shorter visits in the busy street and encourage parking turnover.
- Mobility parking in the village will remain largely unchanged, but one extra mobility space on Turua Street will be installed. These spaces will have a timed restriction of 180-minutes (P180), at all times.
- Loading zones will still largely where they are, with just one angled space on Turua St to be relocated to Tāmaki Drive.
What to expect in the coming months
With changes now confirmed, visitors and locals will start to see parking sign changes go up in the next three to four months, signalling when the new parking zone comes into effect.
Chair of the St Heliers Business Association, Melissa Wallace, says the association is pleased with the outcome.
“We’re grateful for Auckland Transport’s openness to engage and adapt. This result shows what’s possible when the needs of local businesses and the wider community are heard.
“This is a positive step forward for everyone who visits and works in St Heliers Village.”
Parking is an integral part of the transport network, and the availability of parking can influence people’s decisions to drive.
AT is managing parking carefully, so that key roads can carry as many people and goods as possible, while also ensuring there are parking spaces available in communities that need it.
