The advanced system will be equipped with licence plate recognition technology capable of tracking every vehicle that enters and exits the carpark, with the data sent to a central computer.
AoteaGBI.news understands the current enforcement strategy at Claris Airport involves staff from the council building opposite the carpark either crossing the road or peering out the window to keep an eye on the parking area.
AT has indicated that initially, vehicle warrants and registrations will not be under surveillance, but has not ruled out the possibility of such monitoring in the future.
The council-controlled organisation has made no revenue projections for this new CCTV system, leaving it unclear how long it will take to recover the $40,000 investment.
Strawbridge said: “AT has not done any forecasting for this, as our objective is not to generate revenue but to encourage parking turnover and give more people the opportunity to park.”
The fines for parking violations range from $12 for a 30-minute overstay to $57 for exceeding six hours, they compound over extended periods.
While AT claims the cameras will streamline parking enforcement, the move draws comparisons to a previous AT expenditure of $32,000 on a bus stop on Aotea (Great Barrier Island), an island with no public transportation.
The $40,000 spend is set to cover the camera hardware, installation, software licence, and support, with the system expected to be operational by September or October.
AT said access to CCTV data and footage will be tightly controlled, available only to authorised personnel, and insists surveillance will not intrude on private property without a valid reason.
