The Corporation of Hamilton plans to make trucking companies use parking vouchers when loading and unloading goods in the city.

The move would allow traffic wardens to fine truckers $75 if they park in a loading zone for longer than 15 minutes without a voucher at the moment they can park as long as they like for free. Board members must first agree to the move, deputy Mayor Glen Smith told a Corporation meeting yesterday.

Should they vote in favour, the Corporation will run a four to eight-week campaign to educate the public before the fine comes into effect.

Truckers contacted by this newspaper yesterday insisted 15 minutes wasn't long enough to unload their goods.

They said the planned charge is a further hit to an industry that's already suffering.

Said one trucker who didn't want to be named: "I think it is terrible because they are making us pay for everything and customers do not want to pay any more money [for our services].

"[Government] makes you pay when you go to the airport dump they charge you $20 and for tree dumping on Palmetto Road. I do not agree with it. All these years we have been parking for free in town and now all of a sudden they are changing it."

Said another: "What can you do with 15 minutes in a loading bay? I totally disagree with that. It is my business, that is my livelihood sometimes I am in town for two hours or three hours unloading goods.

"Some businesses think the loading bays are just for them. I understand what the Corporation is trying to do, but what about the people like me that go to town just to work?"

Corporation secretary and chief operating officer Ed Benevides said the abuse of loading zones privileges was a "perennial problem" in the city.

"The loading zone needs to be for unloading and loading off goods. Traffic wardens do not know how long a truck has been parking here and they do not know how to determine what is a 'goods' vehicle.

"We can utilise the vouchers to see how long they have been in that space. That would [encourage] the people driving the trucks to not park there for more than an hour and use a parking voucher."

He pointed out that the Corporation already offers tradesmen a parking permit at a special rate. Owners of commercial vehicles who pay $50 a week, are allowed to park in a car space for a 24-hour period.

Mr. Benevides highlighted it as an option.

"That will provide a balance and allow them to park and do their job and not take up a loading zone," he said.

"We have consulted with Police and the traffic wardens extensively. We communicated through e-mail and verbally with a number of service companies and we have made it clear we are moving ahead if the board supports it."

Mr. Benevides added that in its talks with service companies, the Corporation had found 95 percent of people to be "very positive" about the scheme.