Car park reopens as visitors return to city

Published on 10 June 2020

Increased business activity and the return of social gatherings is driving a rise in visitation to Hobart’s CBD.

“We’re thrilled to see people back in the city and enjoying everything that Hobart has to offer,” Cr Reynolds said.

“Major retailers have re-opened their doors; more people are able to dine at cafes and restaurants; and we are starting feel a sense of normality returning to our city.

“It has been wonderful for our local traders and for the vibrancy of our city.”

As the number of visitors coming into the city steadily grows, so too does the demand for car parking. Both on-street and off-street parking demand has grown by more than 160 per cent in the past month, with the current trend showing a weekly increase of up to 11 per cent.

As a result, Hobart Central car park has reopened today. Combined with the Argyle Street and Centrepoint car parks, this will bring the total number of off-street spaces in City-operated car parks to approximately 2300.

All three car parks offer 90 minutes of free parking to assist motorists to access city services and retailers.

To further boost the ability for people to find a car park when they need one, extended time limits that had been applied to 1P and 2P spaces will be rolled back from Monday 15 June.

“While things have been quiet in the city under COVID-19 restrictions, we’ve been able to extend our parking limits as extra incentive to visit those businesses that continued to operate,” Cr Reynolds said.

“As more businesses open their doors and return to normal trade, it’s important we support them by making sure parking is available for their customers when they need it.

“In particular, we encourage shoppers or anyone who plans to stay in the city for a few hours to use the off-street car parks, which offer the first 90 minutes free and have lower hourly rates than on-street parking.”

As of Monday 15 June, all signposted time limits will apply to on-street parking. Motorists are asked to check the signs before leaving their vehicle.

Meters are cleaned regularly, while the EasyPark app provides a convenient and contact-free payment option.

More information on parking in Hobart is available at hobartcity.com.au/parking.