'Confusing' bus stop signage outside Kiwa Pools leads to parking ticket

Gisborne woman Mary Dixon reckons the bus stop signage outside Kiwa Pools is confusing and ambiguous and this resulted in her getting ticketed for parking there while going for a swim at the facility. “It’s a sneaky way to raise money,” she told The Gisborne Herald. Gisborne District Council says it is standard for New Zealand parking signage, but acknowledged the confusion and will be adding markings to the area to clarify the parking situation. Pictures by Liam Clayton

A Gisborne pool user is asking for clearer and less ambiguous signage at a bus stop outside the new Kiwa Pools facility.

Mary Dixon, a regular pool user, said she returned to her vehicle from a swim session to find she had been ticketed for parking in a bus stop.

However, she said the area on Centennial Marine Drive was not marked as a bus stop.

It only had a picture of what might be a bus with a big letter P above it and the words “from 9am to 3pm” underneath.

“It’s a sneaky way to raise money,” she said.

“It’s confusing. A lot of people will be caught out and a lot will be tourists visiting the pools, which we are all so very proud of.”

She suggested the council should clearly mark the area as a bus stop.

“I don’t think it’s good enough. If I was a tourist I would be pretty annoyed to get home a week later and find an infringement notice from GDC.”

Council liveable communities aquatics manager/kaiwhakahaere mahinga wai Campbell Macgregor said the signs installed were standard and commonly used nationwide.

“However, we acknowledge that there has been some confusion in the community, so we’re adding road markings in the bus parks to clarify their function.

“The areas are important as they’re designated for buses to drop off tamariki groups safely.

“People are welcome to park there outside of 9am to 3pm.”