$233,000 increase in parking fines issued in Tauranga

Parking fines issued in Tauranga have jumped about $233,000 in a year, bringing the value of infringements issued to more than $1 million.

Figures show Tauranga City Council issued $1,067,538 worth of parking fines in the past 12 months, compared to $833,864 worth the year before.

The council's team leader of parking and bylaws Stuart Goodman said the increase reflected the increased number of people driving into the CBD.

The figures were the total value of tickets issued to vehicles in those years, not the total value of tickets that had been paid. They did not equal revenue collected.

Goodman said about 50 per cent of fines issued - based on dollar value, not number of fines - were waived, with the majority for registration and warrant of fitness compliance.

Other fines were still being collected by the courts.

Mainstreet Tauranga chairman Brian Berry said the increase was not surprising as the council seemed to monitor the parking meters "ruthlessly efficiently".

He said downtown retailers, office tenants and business owners needed a "silver bullet" when it came to getting rid of accessibility woes - "which is essentially car parking".

"Our belief is that at the moment, the current parking rules and costs are definitely limiting the influx of potential shoppers into the CBD and also clients of businesses."

The owner of Fancy That gift and souvenir shop on Devonport Rd, Bill Campbell, said the city centre's parking situation had got worse.

"The biggest problem is the lack of parking, the second thing is that people don't want to pay to park, and the third thing is that fines are really the final straw that broke the camel's back," Campbell said.

He noted the difference in the amount of foot traffic being seen at other shopping areas in Tauranga compared to the CBD.

"And that's all to do with access, ease of parking, cost of parking, and no fines."

He said the downtown businesses needed to be able to compete with the other shopping areas to survive.

"It's not a level playing field. It's killed us."

Meanwhile, the top four parking infringements issued over the past 12 months were for people failing to pay for parking, displaying an expired license, parking over time limit, and expired parking payment.

For the 12 months before that, the top four were: displaying an expired license, failing to display a valid parking ticket, displaying an expired parking ticket and parking over the time limit.

Devonport Rd and Grey St were the highest ticketed areas over both timeframes.

According to the council, there had not been an increase in the number of parking wardens and the number of parking spaces in the city had not decreased year on year.

He said the majority of fines - based on dollar value, not number of fines - were issued for not displaying a valid WOF or registration, which was a $200 infringement.

Since the council introduced the PayMyPark app and new paperless system, Goodman said it was easier for people to comply as the app alerted them their parking was expiring.

He said the council had 2760 paid public parking spaces in the city, which included on-street, off-street and parking buildings, but not lease parks.

What do you think about paid parking in Tauranga?

"All the shops want people to come in, but you've got to pay. The parking is reasonably priced, but there's no need for it ... it doesn't help the businesses does it?"

Phil Roe, 57, Katikati

"It's a shame people are being fined so much because people obviously need to park to go to work. We're always looking for the ones that are free, so I imagine that's what a lot of people are trying to do."

Bronwyn Fenwick, 58, The Avenues

"I do believe the parking is too expensive. I think it's reasonable to pay for parking, I just believe that everybody tries and dodges and parks everywhere else because no one wants to pay. So they should look at certainly bringing the parking cost down, but then also to create more open parking."

Rob Inman, 42, Otumoetai

"Just ridiculous. I think it should be less expensive. I thought a dollar was enough, but they've changed all these to $2 an hour.
The main street should be perhaps free for shoppers. It does need to be limited - maybe free for the first 60 minutes."

Kim Williams, 50, Devonport Rd - central Tauranga

"No wonder people don't go into town; I work in Cameron Rd and when I go to drop something off at the council or anything like that, it takes me 15-20 minutes to find a park if I'm lucky. I'm better off walking.
It should be cheaper and there should be some free parking, especially on a Saturday morning if people want to go into town. "

Rose Thomson, 48, Papamoa