Wollongong City Council says the days of free parking on the streets of Wollongong's CBD will end on March 19 when the pay-and-display machines start operating.

The machines will service 850 of the 1440 parking spots. A $2 flat fee will apply to half-an-hour, one-hour and two-hour spots.

A Wollongong City Council spokeswoman said the flat fee was chosen because the $2 rate was not complicated and because it reflected the value and convenience.

The meters will be in operation between 9am and 6pm on weekdays and before noon on Saturdays.

Council general manager David Farmer said with almost 30 per cent of short-term parking spaces filled with all day parkers, the introduction of the machines will make it easier for council to enforce time limits and increase parking turnover.

"This will encourage those people travelling into the city centre for a whole day to use off-street parking stations or consider catching public transport," Mr Farmer said.

Mr Farmer said all money collected from the $2 flat rate pay and display machines would be spent on new off-street parking stations and improvements to footpaths, cycleways and public transport facilities.

The council is also installing free 15-minute parking spaces in front of high turnover areas, extra no parking zones where motorists can stop for two minutes to pick up and drop off, as well as free motorcycle spots.