Bus-lane fines not a money grab, says Banks

Chander says he receives plenty of insults and rude gestures but doesn't take them personally. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Auckland City Mayor John Banks says pinging motorists for driving in bus lanes is not a money grab, but he is prepared to look at signposting areas where bus lane cameras may be operating.

"We have got to maintain the integrity of the bus lanes. Many people being caught in the bus lanes are using them to circumvent big lanes of traffic on the inside lane and then coming out at the intersection to force their way back into traffic," he said yesterday.

Some motorists had genuine complaints, he said, but many were being caught turning into the lanes 100m from an intersection when they were allowed to enter only within 50m.

"This is not about revenue creation," said Mr Banks, who voted with Citizens & Ratepayers councillors in 2007 to hire an extra 33 traffic wardens and infringement review officers over three years to target $12 million more in bus lane and parking fines.

Independent councillor Mark Donnelly said the measure was a "straightforward money grab" by Mr Banks and C&R to hold down rates.

The political demand for more parking ticket revenue has been a flop, partly because of higher public transport use during the economic downturn. Hiring 14 extra traffic wardens in the past two financial years has resulted in overall parking ticket revenue falling from $16.7 million to $12.7 million.

Yesterday, the council said it was investigating measures to achieve a better understanding about bus lanes and reduce the number of motorists being ticketed.

The only initiative mentioned was "looking at signposting areas where bus lane cameras may be operating".

Manukau Mayor Len Brown who, like Mr Banks is contesting the Super City mayoralty, said he would investigate marking bus lanes to give motorists a clear indication when they could enter the lane to turn.

When pressed on people's concerns about the lack of signage or markings about the 50m rule in Auckland City, Mr Banks said he would talk to officers about trying out some sort of signage or road marking.

Transport general manager Penny Pirrit said officers were investigating signage for the 50m rule, but said it was not workable because of the high number of signs that would have to go up on bus lane routes.

North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams, another Super City mayoral candidate, said he would not like to see Auckland City's revenue-based bus lane and parking infringement system rolled out across the region under the Super City.

"I think things have become excessive ... In the new Auckland Council we will have to look at this with less [emphasis] on parking being a revenue-earning exercise and more an exercise of good turnover of vehicles in a sensible time."

Mr Williams said the North Shore operated a more liberal system than Auckland's "draconian" one.

Takapuna was the only place with carparking charges, council carparking buildings were free after 8pm, on-street parking was free after 6pm and parking was free at weekends.

Another mayoral candidate, Simon Prast, said if elected he would offer motorists a refund for bus lanes fines. "To obey the law, the law must be obeyable, not guesswork, and particularly not while driving."