Parking Changes To Be Made In City Of Hamilton
A number of parking changes will be made in the City of Hamilton over the next few weeks and months, with changes to include cost reductions in some cases, parking rates will be introduced in other cases, as well as “aggressive” clamping of cars parked in spaces designated for residents.
City of Hamilton Chief Operating Officer Edward Benevides said, “The City of Hamilton continually looks for ways to improve parking and the parking experience within the city. In this regard, we have addressed parking holistically and made a number of changes which will benefit all motorists who use the streets of Hamilton.
“In some instances, the cost to park has been reduced, in some locations the parking rates stay the same and in other instances, parking rates will be introduced. This revised parking rates structure is being introduced to generate new revenue to restore and maintain the infrastructure of the city. Over the last few years, revenues have fallen for a number of reasons.
“There are fewer people in Bermuda and therefore fewer cars parking in the city. Given the declining revenues, the City has had to eliminate and reduce a number of services in order to maintain a balanced budget. One of the services which has suffered over the years is the resurfacing of city streets.
“With the new revenue generated, we will use that money to begin a street resurfacing program, which is one of the infrastructure programs that will be reestablished or upgraded and maintained. Others include modernizing the City’s sewage structure and a comprehensive review of the drainage system.”
Mr. Benevides continued, “Starting in October 2013, the City of Hamilton will begin clamping on the streets initially targeting the abuse of residential parking. Up to now, the City has been responsible for clamping in city owned car parks only. While traffic wardens, who work for the Bermuda Police Service, have been responsible for issuing parking tickets throughout Hamilton.
“We often hear from residents that parking spaces designated for them are continually used by motorists without their expressed permission. We will be addressing this matter by aggressively clamping cars parked in spaces designated for residents.”
“Also starting in October, all day parking at Bull’s Head and Elliott Street Car Parks will be reduced to $5.00 a day or $1.00 an hour up to five hours. After five hours in these car parks, parking will be free. Easy Park meters and pay and display tickets will continue to be in use within these car parks and will be adjusted to reflect the new price structure.
“On street parking rates will change and in some cases it will be introduced to streets that historically motorists have not had to pay to park on. It is anticipated that in mid- to late-October, all streets in the city will become pay and display streets. The city has been divided into three parking zones. There will be different prices for different zones in the city.
The zones and per hour parking rates are as follows:
- Zone 1: $2.00 an hour, covers all streets between Front St and Church St, including Church St.
- Zone 2: $1.50 an hour, covers all streets between Church St and Dundonald St, including Dundonald
- Zone 3: $1.00 an hour, covers all streets between Dundonald St and North St.
Mr. Benevides concluded, “Given the changes that are being put in place, a number of new Parking Enforcement personnel have been hired in the last few weeks. This hiring has resulted in an increase in the number of vehicles clamped in city car parks. In order to avoid being clamped motorists are urged to read the signage on the sidewalks and in car parks before they park and leave their vehicles.”
A map showing the new zones is below. Click to enlarge:
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Articles that link to this one:
- Parking Concerns: Minister Meets With Mayor | Bernews.com | September 24, 2013
- Ming: Changes Likely To Impact Retail Sales | Bernews.com | September 25, 2013
- City Clarifies Timing Of Hamilton Parking Changes | Bernews.com | September 30, 2013
It’s about time!
EVERYBODY SHOULD READ THIS: http://www.vexedbermoothes.com/priorities-3/
Be nice and give Graeme a chance – it’s his first real job ever. He must have stood out at the Mayors’s convention though.
All street parking should be $1 per hour. Adjusting the pay for the parking lots is a ploy to get you to park there and risk getting clamped. Also, if there is to be clamping on the streets, who authorizes the clamp? The traffic warden who issues you a ticket or the parking enforcement who looks for ticketed cars? If you get a ticket then you already have been punished, why be punished a second time with a clamp?
That’s right keep milking the public and Internet shopping will increase even more.
Totally agree.
I hope you are going to aggressively police taxi operators who park outside their zoned space, especially on front street in front of the Bank of Bermuda. They are not supposed to park outside their zoned area until 9pm but are regularly in the 9pm area anytime after 4pm days, and sometimes take the entire area up way before 9pm.
Wonder who owns the “Clamp”.
Parking use to be free; except for high end parking.
Cheaper to park your car in St. George and take the fast Ferry.
I’d like to see them follow up on all the unpaid parking tickets.
Double parking outside KFC is still free if you’re just running in to pick up your greeze!
Don’t kill me, Family Man… hahahaha!
Yes, ticket the double parkers – drives me nuts trying to get up Queen St. most days. Govt looking for revenue? Station a traffic warden on Queen St. between 12 noon and 8pm ticketing double parkers and they’ll make a mint!!
Is clamping even legal? Never remember legislation being passed about it.
Not sure, Bob. I remember years ago, when the clamps first came out, a relative of mine had the misfortune to get one. What did he do? Changed his tire and went about his business. The security company called, making all sorts of threats about arrests and prosecution and the like. His stance was the car was HIS property, they had put the clamp on HIS property and he had every right to remove HIS property from the parking lot. He returned the clamp to them and there was nothing they could do. Mind you, this was many years ago and I believe the style of clamps have changed since then. My point is, they couldn’t prosecute him but I’m not sure if they have passed legislation since then.
It would be nice to see a few more bike spaces. All too often I see many empty car spaces and all of the bike slots full. but, if this is only about revenue, I guess this won’t happen.
This has nothing whatsoever do do with residential parking and has everything to do with an increasingly harder squeeze on the public to help fund a totally inadequate C of H who are without a course when it comes to engineering anything, or even what it takes to run a municipal area, this along with every other thing that comes out of that office will NOT be fairly applied, police cars who park illegally on most of our streets will NEVER be dealt with nor will the GP cars that get allowed to park all day even on double yellow lines and loading zones and the clowns that clamp these cars need to pay more attention and stop acting like thugs as there’s a LOT of mistakes being made which means we waste our time sorting it out and “proving” we were parked properly, so Beniviedes lets not try to dress it up as something else which is your usual M.O.
@Y-Gurl. You are so right. And look at that crap they put on Ried Street taking up more parking spots when there’s hardly any now. Damn fools. Why fight for parking to shop in stores that never have what your looking for when you can shop Online from the comfort of your own home.
@Y-Gurl, I agree with you 100% This is darn ridiculous, what incentive is there to come and shop or do business in the city? The city has hired several so called parking enforcement personnel (power hungry flashlight thugs) so that’s extra salaries that have to be paid. Wow, paying out more money in salaries hardly makes sense to me. Furthermore, Mr. Benivedes says that there are fewer people on the island, hence fewer cars parking. So they think clamping people is the answer? It would appear that they are expanding the clamping zones as it is quite a lucrative venture at $100.00 (?) to release your vehicle. So this more about burning people and collecting extra revenue via clamping.
As you correctly stated, police and GP vehicles are abusing the parking zones because they know they cannot be ticketed. I can’t count the number of times I have seen police cars parked willy nilly while cops pick up their lunch or do other non-police business. If they are going to do personal errands, officers should leave their cars parked at the station and walk like everybody has to. They have already taken over numerous parking spots all over the city since the new station opened, so what more do they want. A total abuse of power if you ask me.
Well my moto is you get what you deserve! Since Govt is strapped for money and the bus and ferry seem much more economical and easier, than the hassles of dealing with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Hamilton a.k.a. the clamping thugs. Let’s give them some of their own medicine. All persons who have cars and are able to drive them to a general and convenient parking area for the day. I say leave your cars, catch the bus or ferry. And let the Corporation decide how they will make their money then. They say charity begins at home, and since we the taxpaying public are the Govt in the larger picture, I say let’s keep the money in our own camp. Corporation you have just upped the busines for online shopping. Retailers you have the Corporation of Hamilon to whom you pay your city taxes to thank for your continued doom and demise. The last time I checked, I did not see a money tree in anyone’s yard, at least not here in Bermy! Sometimes you have to give a little to obtain a lot!
This is just plain irritating and I am disgusted once again with the COH. I used to park on the roof at Bull Head’s which is up on the 4th or 5th floor and the elevator was broken the whole time. Calls to City Hall to enquire what was being done to fix it were never answered. While the exercise is a good thing, many of us women are in high heels and carrying bags and tote bags on our way to and from work. This whole process does nothing to promote shopping in Hamilton or anywhere in Bermuda for that matter. Why can’t the City upgrade their parking lots so that you can pay as you go like other cities? Why should my shopping time be dictated by the City of Hamilton and their archaic insulting parking practices. I have had to leave a cashier’s line-up in the past in order to run to my car for fear of being clamped and having to pay the $100 fine. On another note, where is a person supposed to park their car if they want to take the ferry over to Dockyard for a morning or afternoon? Do they actually expect people and all their kids and gear to walk from Bull’s Head to Front Street to the ferry? Corporation of Hamilton – FIND OTHER WAYS TO GENERATE REVENUE besides biting the hand that feeds you!!! Sorry retailers of Bermuda, but I’m done with this nonsense.
I think there are way too many residential parking spaces. I hope after all the clamping etc, they adjust the adjust the number of residential parking spots, or adjust the time that other cars can park there, like 8:30am to 4:00pm.
That little trip to Columbia must have been more expensive than they thought.
To all City retailers, get some more Kleenex for your tears and red ink for your accounts.
So now we gotta pay to park in back of town?
as my kids would say FML
That’s “North Hamilton”, Chris. Not back of town (a.k.a. bakatoun).
Ride
Bda Chamber of Commerce get ready to cry when you see the numbers for shopping starting in October. SMH at the greed of CoH. Pure greed! Like people aren’t pinching pennies already. Disgusting!
Brief note to Corp of Hamlton.
The new Municipalities changes will allow you to get wharfage again. Therefore these new parking rules are unnecessary.
Notice to business voters – please reverse these changes as soon as you get your representatives back on the Corporation.
WHAP, WHAP, WHAP! The trend is all too familiar… This is too much, you all just complain about it. Thats too much you all just complain about it. And what you all do about it? NOTHING! So Suck it up like up like the sponges you are and live happily after complaining about it…
@Whistling Frog
True story, Whistling Frog. If people really cared enough to make a difference instead of complain then something could be done to send a message to the Corporation of Hamilton.
For example, they could organize themselves to stage a boycott of Hamilton on the first Saturday of October, 5 October. They could spread the word via the Twitter, the Facebook, the Google+, and other social media on the Interwebs for free. The younglings could pass the information up to the older folk to insure that the message filter through all the strata. Then 5 October the streets and parking lots in Hamilton could be significantly less full of cars.
That would send a message to the Corporation of Hamilton while encouraging the retailers to be more persuasive in stressing their displeasure. It might also get the retailers more fully considering and implementing some internet shopping and delivery solutions.
But, as you say, the people who are complaining will just complain and fork over their hard earned money for parking and clamp release. If all they’re going to do is mouth-off then they should save thier breath for arguing with the traffic wardens and mobile clampers.
Ride
Outerbridge, Smith and Benevides…you’re on the list now for all this utter foolishness and greed!
One last thought on this stupid dictatorial proposal Beniviedes , if your “aggressive parking enforcement” zombies are wrong (which has been the case many times) then the C of H should pay the driver $100 for time taken off work to prove their innocence, this cannot be your usual one sided autocratic ruling, there has to be a penalty you hiring and for sending zombies out there who’s reading and math skills prevent them from properly assessing the situation.
With the morning comes clarity.
Think, what if the King of Prussia and Mall of America owners charged all shoppers for car-parking? They’d make lots more money wouldn’t they? Wouldn’t they?
The EMMY for Stupidity goes to……
After seeing so many cars clamped on Saturday, maybe the City can consider painting the edges of the parking curbs, and the parking bays, the corresponding colours of the parking zone rates – and make sure the signs are clearly visible.
So sad…. Who benefits from this nonsense.. Bermuda wake up!!!!!!
Can some of you whiners plaese spare a thought for the COH. They have to find a way to pay for that big trip Donal Smith took.
Should have sent him to Provincetown or Key West for reeducation.
Just think for those of us who park in Bull’s Head all day everyday, at the end of October we will have kept in our pockets a total of $40.00. I am a happy person again.
summer Breeze – that’s a cool idea. COH road works seem to do great jobs on city streets, curb side colour alerts would be easy enough and very helpful
Nice to see reduced prices for parking in the CoH parking lots. The greedy CoH kept parking spots designed to fit A class cars only so that they could squeeze as many cars into these lots to get as much money as possible. In my opinion, the only smart decision the CoH has made recently in relation to traffic in the city is the ‘right turn’ lane at Reid and Court Streets. The redesigning of many other junctions to have massive sidewalks and the removal of many parking spots boggles my mind.
Those businesses in Hamilton will suffer more.Great stuff Mayor Outerbridge!
My shopping in Hamilton was reduced in 1996 or 1997 when pay park started. Paying for an hour when I was only going to be in a store for 15 mins didn’t make sense to be. If I was one to be walking around Hamilton shopping from one store to another, ok maybe, but since I stopped shopping, no need to come into Hamilton…..
so they have reduced the all day parking fees at Bulls Head and Elliott Street…that’s great but what about the Cavendish car park at the eastern end of the city??? If I want to park there during the work day, I have to fork out $15.00 a day!!! Phone calls to the Corporation of Hamilton inquiring about this in previous months have not been very fruitful…Not impressed Corporation of Hamilton!!
Don’t be fooled, it is not a fee reduction but more of a shifting of finance, the people now paying $2 an hour are subsidizing
Parking charges take their toll – but not anywhere close to what HSBC have done to Hamilton with their massive waste of space in what used to be Hamilton’s busiest shop. Thanks for nothing Phil Butterfield and cronies – and those Limey banking suckers you sold on building the monstrosity that is now your legacy.
So basically you are saying that:
* for every parent wishing to attend assembly, parent-teacher meetings, lunch duty, school plays, sports day for Dellwood, MSA, Flying Start, Little Learners and others,
* along with those wishing to attend daytime service or funerals at St. Theresa’s, Salvation Army and numerous other churches in the area
will now be charged to park and limited to an hour bay for these events that are free to every other school and church on the island.
in this harsh economy they are doing what to people who need to run into town to coopers etc…now last i heard there is no more scratch cards for street parking … so then we are forced to buy the pay and display token. street parkign should stay at $1 … why make it $2 when you got to pay so much for the easy park like clearly they are makign their money back so fast. well notice to all of the companies that sell motor bikes … bring in more scoopies etc… because clearly i’m parking my car in the west end and will ferry or ride a bike because this is crazy … my car will be an evening and weekend vehicle. id prefer to give my $30 a month for book of 14 zones to PTB than to CoH that would only over me for 1 1/2 days of parking at spurling hill car park ! smh. i believe all the CoH staff wshould pay for thier city hall spots so they could FEEL the finanical burn … FEDUP.
Sometimes I lose track of time because I’m so involved in my work that I didn’t check my Easy Park and it had expired. Now if that happens I will be clamped. Well I have a torch in my truck. I will be cutting off any clamp. Amd I will be shopping online this Christmas. Store owners beware of what these knuckle heads are doing at the COH.
How does the CoH plan to take in more revenue when there is no enforcement over paying parking tickets? Most people don’t ever pay them and there is no penalty.
Monthly transportation pass = $55. Unlimited rides on busses and ferries. No worries, no hassles.