There are a number of different scenarios in which the Council's Parking Services team would be involved in vehicle parking complaints. Here are some of the more common examples and how Parking Services can help.
Blocked vehicle entrances
Vehicles are not allowed to park within one metre of or over a vehicle entrance. If someone has parked across your vehicle entrance and you’re unable to enter or exit a property, contact the Council’s Parking Services via Customer Services on 07 306 0500.
It is illegal to park over your own or any other vehicle entrance.
If this doesn’t answer your question, a Customer Services Officer will take your contact details, the location of the problem and of the offending vehicle. Customer Services will then immediately pass these details on to the Parking Services team, who will attempt to rectify the situation.
Vehicles, trailers and caravans parked too long outside a property
In case of vehicles like cars, motorcycles, and vans, there is no time limit as to how long they can be parked outside a property without being moved unless they are on a restricted parking space, such as P5,P10,P30 etc.
In case of trailers, they must not be parked on a roadway for more than five consecutive days without being moved.
Any vehicle or trailer must be correctly parked and have a current Warrant of fitness (WOF), Certificate of fitness (COF), licence label and registration plates to parked on a roadway.
If you have concerns about a vehicle being parked for an unusual length of time, check with the police to see if the vehicle is stolen.
If the vehicle has an expired WOF/COF, no licence plate or expired registration label contact Customer Service on 07 3060500 as the vehicle may be abandoned.
Unlicensed or unwarranted vehicles, trailers and caravans
All vehicles, trailers and caravans must display a current warrant of fitness and licence label to be parked on or travel on the road. Failure to do so can incur a $200 infringement. These can be issued by parking wardens or the police. Parking wardens will also issue infringement notices for worn or damaged tyres.
Vehicles that are unwarranted or unlicensed and that appear to be abandoned will not be towed immediately. The Council will first attempt to contact the vehicle's owners to give them the opportunity to remove the vehicle. This is a requirement under the Local Government Act 1974, Section 356.
Unlicensed or unwarranted vehicles being used (driven or ridden) on the road will not be dealt with by Parking Services. Please contact the police.
Other Situations
Infringement notices can be issued for a variety of traffic offences, including parking on broken yellow lines, parking facing the wrong direction, parking on grass verges or on the footpath, overstaying in a time-limited zone, parking in an area reserved for a particular class of vehicle, mobility parking spaces, double parking or parking on traffic islands.
The words "At All Times" on any sign means 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Blue “P” signs with, for example, P60 or P30 apply 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Sunday.
If you see a vehicle breaching traffic regulations, or you are being hindered because of someone else's vehicle breaching a traffic regulation, you can always contact Customer Services on 07 306 0500 to see how the Parking Services team can help resolve the situation.
It is worth keeping up to date with traffic regulations, and if you are new to New Zealand, the same regulation applies nationwide. If you would like to check out the traffic regulations, you can go into any library, NZ Post outlet, or a bookshop to view a copy of New Zealand's Road Code. This may help you to avoid an infringement notice.