Latest news with #GrantParrett
1News
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- 1News
DOC defends parking charges at Punakaiki Pancake Rocks
The Conservation Department is defending its plan to charge for parking at Punakaiki's Pancake Rocks and other tourist hotspots in National Parks. DOC is about to trial paid parking in its carpark next to the new Punangairi Visitor Centre in Punakaiki, and at Franz Josef and Aoraki Mt Cook. Punakaiki café owner Grant Parrett has objected, telling the West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board this month that DOC would be effectively charging people to visit a National Park. But DOC's senior project manager John Dore said the parking charges would not contravene the National Parks Act. "The Conservation Act 1987 allows for charging fair and reasonable fees for the use of facilities within conservation areas, which includes DOC car parks, backcountry huts, and campsites." ADVERTISEMENT Charging for carparks was common practice in National Parks around the world, Dore said. "It's considered a practical way for visitors to contribute to the facilities and nature they enjoy… it can also help manage demand and improve safety.' Parrett said Dolomite Point, the location of the Pancake Rocks and the visitor centre, was a special case. The carpark can get busy in the summer months. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting) "It's on State Highway 6, the Coast Road, and people like to stop off there on a long drive and stretch their legs. But, if you force them to use the DOC carpark, you're effectively charging them an entry fee to the National Park." Until a couple of months ago, there were 12 free car park spaces on the side of the highway heading north, but they had since been removed, Parrett said. NZTA Waka Kotahi has confirmed the removal of the parks last month was initiated by DOC, as a part of the Dolomite Point redevelopment. ADVERTISEMENT "DOC completed a traffic safety assessment in 2020 which, in conjunction with the development of parking facilities off the state highway, recommended the removal of the on-road state highway parking to improve safety. "NZTA endorsed the recommendations of this assessment in 2022," a spokesperson told LDR. NZTA had assessed the 12 roadside parks in the context of the new visitor centre development, and concluded that removing them would improve safety for all road users, especially pedestrians, a spokesperson said. It meant fewer people would be crossing the road to get to their cars, giving drivers better visibility of people on the pedestrian crossing between the visitor centre and the Pancake Rocks track, NZTA said. But Parrett said the speed limit through the area was 40km/h and the roadside parks had not been considered a safety risk in the past. "Fair enough, remove them if you're going to offer free parking on the other side but they're not. It's pretty poor because those free parks allowed 12 West Coast locals or other New Zealanders to pull up and just go for a walk around the rocks. "You're not going to go to the visitor centre every time you pass through." ADVERTISEMENT Parrett said the issue was fairness rather than safety. Punakaiki café owner Grant Parrett says DOC is effectively charging people to visit a National Park. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting) People would not be able to visit the famous Pancake Rocks and blowholes without paying, he said. "That makes it a quasi-entry fee to a National Park. Sure, if you can manage a 20-minute walk you could find a free park down the road. But you shouldn't have to. DOC should not have a monopoly on parking," Parrett said. NZTA Waka Kotahi said the paid parking trial did "alter the parking environment" in Punakaiki, but the recommendations of the traffic safety assessment did not change because of that. "If the paid parking trial does contribute to unsafe operating conditions on the state highway, we would expect DOC to address this," the NZTA spokesperson said. By Lois Williams, LDR Reporter ADVERTISEMENT Local Democracy Reporting is local-body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Parking plan rethink urged
A Punakaiki cafe owner is urging the Department of Conservation to rethink its plan to charge for parking at the Pancake Rocks on the West Coast, saying it was acting as an entry fee to a national park. Grant Parrett told a meeting of the West Coast Tai o Poutini Conservation Board last week parking charges created a de facto entry fee to Paparoa National Park, which was unlawful. Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has asked for a trial of paid parking to boost revenue. Doc is aiming to launch a pilot programme in October at Punakaiki, Franz Josef and White Horse Hill at Aoraki/Mt Cook. Project manager John Dore told the board Doc had serious budget pressures including a 30% shortfall in funding for its visitor network and a huge deficit in the amount available for biodiversity. "For protection of all endangered species we have a budget of $300 million — but a need of $2.3 billion." Climate events in the last few years had added $90m in costs. Paid parking was a tool used internationally in nature parks and would help manage overcrowding at busy sites, he told the board. But Mr Parrett said the move would turn public conservation land into a Wilson-style parking lot, and urged the board to oppose it. "However you label it, it's a national park entry fee; it contravenes the National Parks Act and it diminishes Doc's social licence to operate." There were no free parks at Punakaiki because they had been removed to make room for the new visitor centre development and people would have no option but to pay to walk around the Pancake Rocks. Unlike Franz Josef or Aoraki/Mt Cook, Punakaiki was not a tourist destination but a stop-off attraction for people driving the scenic Coast Rd, and for most of the year there was no congestion or capacity problem in the carpark. "Parking fees will disadvantage local people who call in for a coffee or to stretch their legs." While Doc owned the land, taxpayers had funded the $45m Dolomite Point Visitor Centre development and the building was gifted by the last government to manawhenua, Ngati Waewae, who now leased office space back to Doc, Mr Parrett said. "I am surprised that the iwi has supported the paid parking trial ... unless they stand to benefit from it." Conservation Board Ngati Waewae representative Francois Tumahai objected. "I disagree with everything you've said. "The cost of the building was not $45m and we're not getting a cent from the project. "In the early days we suggested we might provide [parking] wardens — that's it." By Lois Williams
RNZ News
24-07-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Cafe owner protests Punakaiki parking charges
The DOC carpark at Punakaiki can be packed in summer. Photo: Lois Williams / LDR A Punakaiki café owner is urging the Conservation Department to rethink its plan to charge for parking at the famous Pancake Rocks on the West Coast. Grant Parrett told a meeting of the West Coast Tai o Poutini Conservation Board this week that parking charges create de facto entry fee to (Paparoa) National Park, which was unlawful. Photo: Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has asked for a trial of paid parking to boost revenue. DOC is aiming to launch a pilot programme in October at Punakaiki, Franz Josef and White Horse Hill at Aoraki Mt Cook. Project manager John Dore told the Board that DOC had serious budget pressures including a 30 percent shortfall in funding for its visitor network and a huge deficit in the amount available for biodiversity. "For protection of all endangered species we have a budget of $300 million - but a need of $2.3 billion," Dore said. Climate events in the last few years had added $90 million in costs, he added. Paid parking was a tool used internationally in nature parks and would help manage overcrowding at busy sites, he told the board. But Parrett said the move would turn public conservation land into a Wilsons-style parking lot, and urged the board to oppose it. A business owner says parking fees will disadvantage local people who call in for a coffee. Photo: Lois Williams / LDR "However you label it, it's a National Park entry fee; it contravenes the National Parks Act and it diminishes DOC's social license to operate." There were no free parks at Punakaiki because they had been removed to make room for the new Visitor Centre development and people would have no option but to pay to walk around the Pancake Rocks, Parrett said. Unlike Franz Josef or Aoraki Mt Cook, Punakaiki was not a tourist destination but a stop-off attraction for people driving the scenic Coast Road, and for most of the year there was no congestion or capacity problem in the carpark, he said. "Parking fees will disadvantage local people who call in for a coffee or to stretch their legs, and we don't want this," he said. While DOC owned the land, taxpayers had funded the $45 million Dolomite Point Visitor Centre development and the building was gifted by the last government to manawhenua, NgatiWaewae, who now leased office space back to DOC. The public has paid for this development and costs should be kept low, he said. "I am surprised that the iwi has supported the paid parking trial … unless they stand to benefit from it," Parrett said. If people had to pay for parking they might be less likely to pay for Ngati Waewae's interactive visitor experience inside, he suggested. Ngati Waewae's representative on the Conservation Board, Francois Tumahai, objected. "I disagree with everything you've said. The cost of the building was not $45 million and we're not getting a cent from the project. In the early days we suggested we might provide (parking) wardens … that's it." Parrett suggested it would be good if the iwi put out a statement to that effect in the interests of transparency. The iwi leader responded: "You're the one causing all the grief - you put it out." Board chairperson Dr Mike Legge closed off the discussion and thanked Parrett for his contribution to the public forum. The new visitor centre opened in November 2024. Photo: LDR / SUPPLIED The Dolomite Point Visitor Centre, funded by the Provincial Growth Fund, was budgeted to cost $26 million but the project - including the new carparks - received a funding boost of $15 million in 2023 and cost a total of $40.9 million. The paid parking trial, including charging technology and upgrades to carparks at the three sites, is being funded by $3.8 million from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. DOC plans to release its pricing strategy early next month and hold public drop-in sessions at Punakaiki, Franz Josef and Aoraki in mid August. Submissions close on August 26 for Punakaiki, and September 30 for Aoraki. - LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
