In December 2021, the council spent $800,000 to retire its 750 "lollipop" coin-operated parking meters and installed 85 kiosks across the city centre.
The upgrade allowed users to have different payment options — including online payment, card or using the PayMyPark app — with the first 30 minutes of parking free.
However, even with the increased options for ratepayers, the council received less revenue with the new system after its first year of operation.
Figures released to the Otago Daily Times under the Official Information Act showed the council earned $745,060 in income from December 2021 to December 1, 2022 — $122,643 less than that from the old parking meters during the same period in the previous year (from December 2020 to December 1, 2021).
People spoken to on Invercargill streets recognised the convenience of the new system, but had mixed feelings about it.
Resident Belinda Perd was happy with the upgrade as she believed the meters were more practical to use.
"I think they are better.
"If you are in the middle of an appointment or doing something, you can just top up on your phone — you don’t need to walk down [from] the place you parked just to put another coin in."
She heard some people were receiving more parking tickets, but this was "their own fault".
"I think this happens when people forget [to top up].
"I think I am actually having less parking tickets — I’ve had only one — but the price [of it] has increased."
Tracy Stewart also believed the system was easier, but she felt there were more people being fined.
"At my work, everyone is getting one at least once a week and one of my colleagues has spent a couple of hundred dollars to pay her fines."
She said the most expensive one she had received was $57.
"They are more convenient but also quicker in throwing parking tickets [laughs]."
Council customer and environment group manager Trudie Hurst said the feedback on the new system had been varied since it was installed in Invercargill.
"For the most part, vehicle users have welcomed the convenience of an app and payWave option for parking payment."
When asked about infringement issues, she said council had issued fewer parking tickets last year than in 2020.
Between December 1, 2021, and December 1, 2022, there were 12,074 tickets issued — while 12,410 tickets were issued during the same period in the previous year.
"In the past year, there have been two vehicles parked in the city that have each received 22 tickets — the most tickets a single vehicle has received."
These figures covered all infringements including no evidence of inspection, operation of unlicensed motor vehicle, failing to activate the meter and parking over the time limit.
Ms Hurst said council staff had engaged with various groups, such as Age Concern and 60s Up Movement, in the past year and compliance officers often helped people with directions and how to use the meters.
