Dunedin drivers have got an unexpected reprieve from a new, expanded, parking regime, following the possible collapse of the company supplying its parking meters.
The Dunedin City Council's new parking strategy was to begin the day after Easter, with the end of free parking in the city, to be replaced by a growing army of 400 parking machines.
The council announced the strategy last month, with a system that meant the closer to the city motorists wanted to park, the more they would have to pay.
Yesterday, planning and environment committee chairman Cr Michael Guest said the company the council was to have used to supply the machines, Cash Handling Systems, had applied to the court in Auckland to go into receivership.
Cash Handling Systems has seven offices in New Zealand and Australia, and has been supplying machines to most major cities.
Cr Guest said the council had not committed itself to a contract, and no money had been paid.
But development services manager Kevin Thompson said the company had won the tender, and the council had to wait and see what the outcome of the application was.
The company may be able to carry on, or a new company formed.
Cr Guest said the council might have to look for other tenderers for the work, and there were other companies in New Zealand that could supply the machines.
The issue meant installation would not go ahead as planned, and no new date had been set.
Cr Guest said there had been further developments for when the system did begin.
The parking would be policed from 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, removing policing late on Fridays.
Sundays would be free, including in parking buildings, which used to charge on that day.
The charge in parking buildings had been reduced after 6pm from $2 to $1.
