Alert level 2: Auckland Transport parking wardens continue lenient approach before crackdown next week

Aucklanders are being given a week's grace period by the city's parking wardens before full enforcement returns.

Unlike Wellington, where over 500 tickets a day were issued as the country moved out of level 3, Auckland Transport has operated a "gradual easing back into enforcement", to assist residents get back to normal.

AT had cancelled paid parking during the lockdown, and continued the policy at level 3.

When the country moved to level 2 on Thursday, parking wardens began issuing warning notices instead of infringements, spokesman Mark Hannan said.

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Like levels 4 and 3, the only offence notices being issued are for "serious safety breaches" including blocking vehicle entranceways and footpaths.

"We have been recording repeat offending through the warnings period and most people have been great," Hannan said.

Repeat parking offenders will also only have action taken against them in cases of "serious safety breaches".

From Monday, those who have received warnings before would receive infringement notices if they offended again, and full enforcement - as per pre-lockdown - would commence next Thursday, May 28.

Meanwhile in Wellington parking wardens have been stinging an average of 550 motorists a day in the past week - well down from the pre-Covid-19 average of 800 infringements a day - raising $135,776, according to RNZ.

However, it did not take into account the number of people still at home, and fines for expired vehicle registrations and warrants of fitness, which have been automatically extended to October.

The majority of infringements were for people for not paying for their parking on a metered parking space.

The metering revenue (excluding fines) for all sources over the same period was $152,475.

A council spokesperson told RNZ the number of parking officers has not been increased, and that Parking Services are operating at normal capacity.

One person who received a ticket said there was not enough public awareness that paid parking was coming back.

The spokesperson said the council made significant effort to inform the public, including posts through social media channels, and adverts in local newspapers and radio stations.