Parked cars to be pinged for expired WOF, rego in Far North

From today the Far North parking warden will also check cars to make sure they're displaying a current WOF and registration. Photo / File

Starting today parking wardens in the Far North will also be checking whether vehicles are registered and warranted — and from next month they'll be issuing $200 fines.

For the first month of the year-long trial drivers won't get a ticket for a lapsed WOF or rego, but they will get a notice under their windscreen wipers reminding them of their obligations.

From August, motorists risk getting a ticket.

Car owners will have 28 days to get their warrant or registration sorted. If they do so, or can prove they've made a genuine effort, the council may waive the fine.

Far North District Council parking wardens have long been authorised to issue tickets to owners of parked cars not displaying a current Warrant of Fitness or registration, but until now it's an option they haven't used.

Kelly Stratford, chairwoman of the council's Regulatory Compliance Committee, said it was not a case of revenue gathering.

The intention was to make Far North roads safer by ensuring vehicles met minimum safety standards.

''Vehicle owners will get a one-month grace period before being ticketed so they have time to get their vehicle road legal. If they do receive a fine and they can prove they've acted quickly to get their car registered or warranted, the council may waive the fine."

The fine for failing to display a WOF or rego is $200 each. The amount is set by central government and can't be changed by the council.

Stratford said it wasn't the only strategy the council was using to bring down the road toll.

It was also reviewing speed limits on local roads, installing road improvements such as rumble strips and road barriers, and working with communities on road layout changes to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

A recent council survey of parked cars found 16 per cent had an expired rego, WOF or both. The Advocate was unable to ascertain where in the district the survey was conducted.

Currently the Far North District Council is believed to have only one parking warden to cover the district.

The warden's main focus was on towns with parking issues such as Kerikeri and, in summer time, Paihia. Kaitaia and Doubtless Bay also get the occasional visit.

Kaikohe locals, however, told the Advocate they hadn't seen a warden in the town for at least 10 years.

Motorists using the Kerikeri post office carpark — a ticket hot spot — said they understood the need to have a WOF but worried the fines would hurt those who could least afford it.

Jessie Boyce, of Kaikohe, said he had been stung twice in one day in Auckland, costing him $400, because his registration had lapsed.

''Personally it wouldn't affect me at the moment, but I've been there and it just makes life a little bit hard. It's not like you learn anything from it. You already know you're supposed to have a warrant and rego, it's just that you've forgotten or your circumstances are a bit hard.''

A Kerikeri motorist, who did want to give his name, said he had also been fined while parking in Auckland.

''The only reason I'd disagree with it is that the people who get fined are in that situation because they're on a low income.''

In his case he didn't have much work at the time so he decided to take the risk.

The WOF and registration trial would run for one year with a review after six months to make sure it was achieving its aims.

The scheme ties in with the Government's national Road to Zero strategy aiming to reduce deaths and serious injuries on New Zealand roads by 40 per cent in the next 10 years.

Many local authority parking wardens, including in Auckland and Whangārei, already issue fines for failing to display a WOF or registration.