Auckland Transport has been making more money from parking ticket revenue in the past two years, thanks to higher fines and greater use of licence plate recognition vehicles. Lochlan Lineham examines the latest figures – and discovers the most ticketed street in the city.
Auckland Transport collected more than $32 million in parking infringements across the city in the first 10 months of 2025.
The revenue from 381,430 tickets issued to October 23 was on track to overtake 2024’s full-year figure of $36m from 640,155 tickets.
Both years marked a big increase on 2023’s take of almost $23m from 359,156 infringements.
The number of tickets issued rose sharply in 2024 as AT increased its use of licence plate recognition cars, which digitally monitor number plates to see if cars are parked illegally. Revenue has also risen since higher fines were introduced in October 2024.
Figures obtained by the Herald via the Official Information Act show Princes St, which runs alongside Auckland University, was the most ticketed street in the city.
University of Auckland staff and students also helped make Princes St the most lucrative street in the city for parking ticket revenue, closely followed by Ponsonby Rd.
Auckland University Student Association president Nimish Milan Singh said students did receive fines for exceeding time limits in Princes St, “particularly in the P30 zone where enforcement is known to be strict”.
“It’s really important that students are aware of this, so that they can choose alternative parking if they need more time.”
However, Singh said most of the time, students followed “the posted time limits and drive away without receiving any penalties”.
The street was a hotspot because of its proximity to the university campus and CBD, he said.
Overall, Central Auckland and the CBD were the biggest magnets for parking tickets, gaining $1.6m from 34,871 tickets and $1.7m from 29,153 infringements in their top 10 streets.
The North Shore produced $716,747 from 7678 tickets, West Auckland $450,464 from 6802 tickets and South Auckland $326,837 from 7678 infringements.
The top 10 streets in Greater North Auckland (Rodney) and East Auckland lagged behind significantly, with $62,790 from 1510 and $47,000 from 968, respectively.
Up to October 23, nearly a third of tickets issued (27.1%) were for parking in a paid space without paying, while overstaying a time-limited space, such as a P120, was the second most common (18.4%).
AT engagement manager Phil Wratt said a 10-minute grace period was given when people park in a paid space, so those who got ticketed stayed longer than 10 minutes without paying.
“Paid parking spaces are typically in areas of very high demand and when people ignore the rules, others are impacted.”
Wratt said overstaying time-limited spaces was also a problem because it “negatively impacts access for others”.
The increase in revenue from parking fines correlates with a hike in prices in October 2024 by the Ministry of Transport to adjust for inflation.
Streets that have had fewer tickets issued, but more revenue generated, have a higher average ticket price from more-expensive infringements.
For example, overstaying the time you paid for parking costs $20, while not paying at all will cost $70.
The increase in infringements issued and revenue generated also corresponds with an increase in licence plate recognition (LPR) vehicles on the road.
The cars have cameras that digitally mark number plates and assess whether they are parked illegally.
They capture still and video images, which are assessed by AT to see if an infringement has taken place.
The technology’s introduction has made it much more efficient for AT to monitor parking throughout the city.
Since the cars’ full introduction in 2020, after a trial in 2019, the fleet has grown to 25 vehicles.
In 2023, 359,156 infringements were issued, but that number skyrocketed to 640,155 in 2024, after 10 cars were added in 2023.
AT received a 57% increase in parking infringement revenue in 2023-24.
Data obtained by Newstalk ZB shows LPR cars were responsible for issuing over 518,000 of 2024’s infringements.
That’s almost twice as many as the 261,713 fines they gave out in 2023.
AT does not have plans to add more cars; however, it said as Auckland continued to grow, “parking management needs may change and we will need to respond”.
Central Auckland Business Association chief executive Viv Beck said the rise in revenue from parking tickets was concerning, “particularly where practical needs are ignored, and it appears to be a revenue-generating exercise”.
“Enforcement plays an important role in turning over parking, so timeframes are observed and it isn’t hogged for long periods by the same person.
“However, the approach needs to be balanced to ensure the city functions well and we do have a concern when it is used as a revenue generator that does not take account of the reasonable needs of businesses and their customers and/or suppliers.“
Beck told the Herald she had heard AT “has become very good at fining people, but not at listening to their needs”.
Servicing and loading needs in the city centre had not been well met, as a lack of loading space meant it was difficult for vehicles servicing businesses to park, she said.
“They should not be facing fines due to poor planning, as these issues were pointed out well before the works started.”
AT Parking Services group manager John Strawbridge told the Herald despite the extra revenue generated by the LPR vehicles, the transport authority did not want to give out more parking tickets.
“What we’re trying to do obviously is get compliance and give opportunity for everyone to use the limited kerbside space that we’ve got.”
Restrictions were there for a reason and if people complied with them, no tickets would be issued, Strawbridge said.
“My real request to the public is just think about your decision-making around parking, read the signage. If it’s paid parking, use the AT Park app and then you’ll have no issues at all.”
The LPR cars had also made it safer for parking officials, he said, because fewer were susceptible to abuse.