Ministerial chauffeur apologises after limousine parked illegally

A spokesman for the Department of Internal Affairs said the driver was unaware he was parked in a clearway. Photo / Twitter, Felix Marwick

A ministerial chauffeur has been spoken to after parking his ride in a clearway in downtown Wellington.

An image of the offending vehicle was tweeted by former NZME reporter Felix Marwick on Monday, with the caption "spotted illegally parked outside a drycleaners in the clearway on Featherston St at 8.40 this morning. Did someone send out a Crown limo to pick up drycleaning?"

Spotted illegally parked outside a dry cleaners in the clearway on Featherston St at 8.40 this morning.

Did someone send out a Crown limo to pick up drycleaning? pic.twitter.com/jNV9U4m3IM

— Felix Marwick (@felixmarwick) October 29, 2018

No, was the answer.

A spokesman for the Department of Internal Affairs, which manages the Crown's fleet of ministerial BMWs, said there was no minister in the vehicle.

"It was a lone driver doing a reconnaissance job. He walked around the corner and was out of the car for about five minutes."

The driver was unaware he was parked in a clearway.

"He is extremely apologetic and accepts he made a mistake," the spokesman said.