A FREE hour of parking at Queensgate will no longer be on offer for shoppers as of next month when developer Sirona Capital takes control of the car park from Fremantle council.

The council introduced a free first hour of parking in its car parks in late 2012 in an attempt to stimulate business in the CBD.

But as part of the Kings Square redevelopment deal, the council has sold the car park to Sirona which says from July 27, there’ll be a flat $2 hourly fee that will apply as soon as you drive in.

Sirona boss Matthew McNeilly said the fee was a reduction from the council’s current $2.20—because they couldn’t be bothered stuffing around with piles of 20 cent coins.

Mr McNeilly says there’ll also be an early bird rate of $9, while businesses will still be able to pay a monthly fee for a guaranteed space from Secure Parking, which will be running the car park for Sirona.

He says the new system was a lot simpler than the council’s existing regime, which has a bewildering array of costs depending on what floor you park on at what time of day.