Links Ave: Christchurch driver pinged in error as Mount Maunganui road trial fines hit $1.43m

James Tomlin was concerned someone was using altered plates that matched his own. Photo / Supplied

A Christchurch man got a big surprise when he was warned for using a bus lane in Mount Maunganui, despite having been in Christchurch at the time.

James Tomlin received a warning letter from Tauranga City Council for using the bus lane on Links Avenue.

The bus lane has come under fire for attracting $1.2 million in fines in just two weeks, during the trial that closes off the east end of the street to all vehicles except authorised ones.

In the first two weeks of the trial 8500 warning letters were issued, and in the following fortnight 8000 $150 fines were given out.

As of today, there have been 9540 infringements issued, totalling $1.43 million.

Tomlin told Local Democracy Reporting that he received a warning letter a few days into the trial in early April.

"I received a warning from them [the council] about my vehicle infringing, and obviously it was at my place in Christchurch at the time," he said.

The Christchurch resident was worried someone was using altered plates and getting tickets or worse.

The Links Avenue bus lane is monitored by an automatic number plate recognition camera. Photo / John Borren / Sun Media

"It would be a serious concern if they were to do ram raids or something like that," said Tomlin.

"It did make me concerned that there's a vehicle, it could even be the same type of vehicle, driving around with potentially stolen or altered plates on it, due to getting that letter sent to me."

Tomlin wanted to speak out about his experience in case other fines were sent in error.
"It does make you wonder how many more might have been an error," he said.

Tomlin emailed Tauranga City Council questioning if someone was using fake plates and it replied: "The Links Avenue bus lane is enforced by camera and unfortunately this can sometimes result in errors reading vehicle registrations".

"We have checked the CCTV and can see that this is not your vehicle and a digit has been transposed," the reply said.

Council regulation monitoring team leader Stuart Goodman said the bus lane is monitored by an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera.

"To date, less than one per cent of processed warning letters and infringement notices have included inaccuracies," said Goodman.

The system has various checks in place, some of which are manual, and a warranted parking officer must review the evidence before an infringement is issued, he said.

"Unfortunately, in this instance, human error has resulted in the registration being entered incorrectly."

The four-month cul-de-sac trial on Links Avenue that is formed by two bus lanes has been implemented after concerns were raised about the safety of children using the road to get to school.

Links Avenue is a travel corridor for three schools, Mount Maunganui College, Omanu School and Mount Maunganui Intermediate, which is on the street.

The road is used by motorists to avoid congestion on the neighbouring routes, Oceanbeach Road and Maunganui Road. It was seeing up to 7500 vehicles per day prior to the trial.

Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.