Woolworths Mt Eden parking controversy: Auckland driver towed and fined claims signs unclear

An Auckland driver says people are being “preyed upon” after he was towed and fined nearly $400 after spending just 15 minutes in a carpark next to a Mt Eden supermarket.

Keoni Mahelona told the Herald he went into Woolworths on Dominion Rd last week to buy items for his baby.

“I knew that some of the spots are clearly signed and you can’t park there, but I had no idea where I had parked you couldn’t park,” he said.

“Within 15 minutes my car was gone and there were no clear signs.”

The Auckland man said the parking spaces are directly within the wider car parking area so people who don’t live nearby wouldn’t have a clue.

“There are posted signs up against the west end along a little wooden fence that make it clear you can’t park here,” he said.

“Some of the signs have been removed, some are quite old.

“[There is] only one up-high sign. So anyone who doesn’t know wouldn’t have a clue you can’t park here.”

Mahelona went back to the carpark the following day to take photos and encountered another couple who experienced the same problem.

“I asked them ‘Did your car get towed?’ and they said ‘yes’. They only came in to pick up some takeaways. I could see the spot where they had parked, there was not a sign directly in front of it.”

He also said eight spaces have sensors over which the cars would park.

“The towing company knows there are sensors there, and they get notified the moment (the sensors) are triggered.”

An Auckland driver says signage in a Mt Eden supermarket carpark makes it hard for drivers to identify where to park. Photo / Dean Purcell

Mt Eden Woolworths staff confirmed they have had problems with the small parking area, however they refused to comment further.

Mahelona said he would have appreciated a ticket and a fine or even a tyre boot.

“They towed my car within 15 minutes of parking there. No warning. The entire lot was empty but one other car when I walked out. It’s not as if I was taking a spot away from someone else,” he said.

Mahelona was charged $385 to take the car out of storage.

“How many whānau can’t afford that who are preyed upon by this company or person who tows cars in this spot?”

Several spaces in a Mt Eden carpark feature sensors that alert tow truck drivers of cars that should not be there. Photo / Dean Purcell

Mahelona doesn’t want a refund, but more clear signage to warn of the lots.

“So when you park you can see the sign right in front of you rather than having to look up. If they can afford parking sensors, they can afford to put in better signs.”

A Woolworths spokesperson said they lease car parks in Eden Quarter for customers.

“Other sections of the carpark in Eden Quarter are privately owned and leased to neighbouring shops. Some of these sections, while leased to other businesses, are within the bounds of the Woolworths Mount Eden customer parking lot.

“This can be a confusing situation for our customers, and we’ve been working with our landlord and other businesses to resolve this following recent feedback.

“Our property team has been in contact with our landlord at Eden Quarter and they are installing better signage and yellow lines. We hope this will make the carpark clearer for customers and the tow away areas easier to identify.

“We anticipate that these changes will be complete soon and apologise to our customers for any inconvenience.”

When asked whether they thought the signage was good enough, Supercity Towing and Amalgamated Parking, which enforces the parking spaces, said, “For us to provide clarity to your questions we would need a registration to investigate this further”.