The Corporation of Hamilton is preparing to install barrier-controlled parking at a further five car parks in the city to help to fund infrastructure upgrades.

Mayor Charles Gosling told The Royal Gazette that he hoped a barrier system, similar to the one in place at City Hall, would be in place at the Number One Shed car park on Front Street within the next couple of months.

He also revealed that the corporation would then roll out the same system in car parks at Bull’s Head, Par-la-Ville, Cavendish, and Elliot Street over the course of the year.

Mr Gosling insisted that lessons had been learnt from the “teething problems” experienced at City Hall, and outlined further pending improvements to that car park to make it easier to use.

“We have seen that in Par-la-Ville between 10 and 15 per cent of people who use it are paying for parking,” the mayor said. “On one day, just 19 of the 200 spaces had been paid for, while in the month of December revenue was $21,464.

“We are seeing quite clearly that people are still not paying for car parking in the city.

“What we are seeing at City Hall is that our revenue has quadrupled since the barrier was put in. For the month of December we received $60,712, which is back to the average for 2013.

“That is good news because it enables us to push ahead with infrastructure improvements.”

In the coming weeks, a third pay station will be installed at City Hall, while the two-ticket system will be replaced by a one-ticket system to make it more user-friendly.

Mr Gosling maintains that the extra money generated from parking fees will enable the corporation to push more funds at improving sewage treatment and upgrading traffic light junctions.

“Financially, we are in a much better position now than when I took office,” Mr Gosling added. “In medical terms, the patient is responding well to treatment.

“These parking revenues will ensure that we can take on initiatives, some of which have been in the pipeline for two or three years.

“We have had the equipment to upgrade two traffic intersections for the last three years, but not had the funds to do the work. That will be one of our priorities moving forward.

“Another one will be to upgrade the sewage pumping station on Front Street, which would probably take the form of an extension to the existing building.

“Our main objective would be to get rid of the solids and make sure that whatever is being pumped out is inert.”