That is a new option being put forward to the Waitaki District Council's meeting on Tuesday and follows debate over whether the old machines should be replaced or strictly enforced, time-limited free parking introduced, subsidised by ratepayers.
Oamaru has had pay-and-display parking for about 10 years and the machines, while now cheap to lease, were reaching the end of their life, with maintenance costs and faults putting them out of action.
Consultants, employed by the council to look at options, recommended new machines be leased and parking charges more than doubled.
The Waitaki branch of the Otago Chamber of Commerce had lobbied for a trial of time-limited free parking, but it was rejected last month by the council's committee of the whole. At that meeting, some councillors asked whether the old machines could continue to be used.
Now, assets group manager Neil Jorgensen has come up with a new proposal to use the existing pay-and-display machines as long as possible. He is also proposing parking fees rise from July 1, but not as high as if new machines were installed.
The proposed charges are an increase from 60c an hour to $1 for on-street parking ($1.50 if new machines were installed), 40c to 80c for off-street parking ($1.20) and $2 to $4 for all-day parking ($4). Charges for long-term parking permits would also rise.
Mr Jorgensen said ways of extending the life of the old machines, particularly the computer chips which manage them, had been investigated. A way to increase parking charges without sending the chips away for reprogramming had been found.
To minimise the risk of meter failures, staff recommended the creation a "parking meter replacement reserve fund". New meters could be bought when the old ones failed, he said.
