TAMWORTH Regional Council will enforce a parking fee increase from next Monday.
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The hourly rate for spaces in the CBD will go up from $1 to $1.20.
While daily rates will increase from $2.50 to $3.
CBD parking project manager Anna Russell acknowledged it was a difficult time to impose an increase.
But she noted the last parking fee increase was in 2014.
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She also said any additional revenue raised would go towards new and improved parking.
"The council is preparing a parking strategy and there will be a number of initiatives identified in that strategy for new parking and also upgrades to existing parking and parking services," she said.
While the fee increase might be a hit to locals and visitors, Ms Russell pointed out there was a heap of unused free car parks close to town.
"There are definitely a lot of spaces left over," she said.
"In fact, we worked out there are around 500 vacant car spaces for free every day within a five minute walk of Peel Street."
There are 902 free parking spaces in the CBD, including 219 behind the Tamworth Community Centre on Darling Street.
The council is in the midst of creating a new parking strategy which will address community concerns about parking availability and security.
The draft strategy is expected to be handed down to councillors at some point this year before going on public exhibition for comment.