Green light for two-hour free parking return in Hamilton

Friday, 29 May 2026

Two hours of free parking is making a return to Hamilton’s CBD.

Two hours free parking is coming back to the streets of central Hamilton.

After months of calls from retailers, shoppers and motorists, Hamilton City Council voted 12 to 2 on Thursday to reinstate the two-hours free status, from July 1.

The measure to increase foot traffic was first introduced in 2017 but cut down to just one-hour in 2023.

Free parking ‘just makes it easy and people want easy’, Hamilton Central Business Association general manager Vanessa Williams says.

As part of his mayoral election campaign Mayor Macindoe proposed the reintroduction of two hours free on-street short stay parking in the central city from July 1, 2026 (the point that the one-hour free offering is due to be removed).

The move was then included in the draft 2026/27 Annual Plan budget.

During the subsequent consultation period, 1053 people responded to the on-street short stay free parking question, with 88% supporting two hours free parking.

This isn’t a panacea for the CBD ‘but it is a genuine gesture of support’, Mayor Tim Macindoe says.

Hamilton Central Business Association general manager Vanessa Williams has been a regular at HCC public forums campaigning for the two-hour reintroduction, and is thrilled that “this is no longer a talking point.’’

“I think, for the general public, it reduces a barrier to coming into town. So it just makes it easy and people want easy, particularly now when there are so many hard things about society at the moment, there's no need to make parking one of those hard things.’’

Both the consultation results and feedback from businesses showed that two-hours free brings a level of comfort for those driving into the city, she said.

The introduction of two hours on-street short stay free parking is expected to cost around $790,000 in 2026/27 in the form of reduced parking revenue.

Mayor Macindoe acknowledged that as a “tough’’ but necessary price to pay.

“I've said repeatedly it's not a panacea to solving all of the issues that we face in the CBD but it is a genuine gesture of support, not only to our retailers but also to our service providers, those in hospitality and elsewhere, that we understand their needs.”

Deputy Mayor Geoff Taylor has been campaigning for the two-hours free return even longer than Macindoe and is “looking forward’’ to luring shoppers away from Chartwell and The Base shopping centres, where parking is free, and back to the city centre.

Councillor Emma Pike said the public voice had been “loud and clear’’.

Others agreed the existing system was disruptive, confusing and decidedly unpopular.

Anna Casey-Cox and Robbie Neha voted against the two-hour reinstatement but did not speak to elaborate why.

The changes will now be included in the 2026/7 Annual Plan, which will be brought before the council for adoption on June 25.

Thursday’s meeting also approved a new $27.50 charge (currently $20) to enter the Hamilton Gardens for non-Hamilton residents, from October 1.

Access to the wider Gardens, including the Rose Gardens, Turtle Lake and playground, will continue to be free for everyone.