The Waitaki District Council last week resolved to put aside $440,000 to buy parking meters. Council assets engineer Gary Woock said tenders for new electronic machines would be put out in February, and it was hoped the new machines would be installed between April and the end of June.
Mr Woock said the existing meters had been installed 10 years ago and although all 52 meters in Oamaru were in working condition, they were becoming more prone to malfunction.
''We have had to refund money and give some people free parking on some off-street car parks.''
The new meters would provide for a ''seamless'' operation, and be more convenient for everyone, Mr Woock said.