Wellington City Council has voted unanimously not to increase parking fees.
The council had been considering raising fees in the city from $4 to $5 an hour, and making motorists pay for parks later into the evening.
Mayor Celia Wade-Brown says the council was told by representatives for retailers, theatre groups and public transport users that increased fees would hurt residents who are in a tight financial situation.
Ms Wade-Brown says the council also considered raising the fees by a smaller amount but decided the cost of changing the infrastructure to put the change in place would not be worth it.
