A Trafalgar Square spokesperson told the Chronicle the complex wouldn’t receive any money from the notices.
“This is certainly not a revenue-gathering thing for us, we just want our carpark for our customers.”
Staff could park in designated areas and not get ticketed, the spokesperson said.
“This is purely to stop people who are parking here for eight hours and going up to work on [Victoria Ave], and apartment dwellers in and around the centre. It’s just got worse and worse in recent times.
“I think 99 per cent of people won’t even register this change because they come, they shop, and they go. Three hours is a long time.”
Shoppers had different opinions on the new system when the Chronicle visited Trafalgar Square.
Rosina Allen said three hours was “ample time” for parking.
“An hour for here [Ridgway St carpark] might be a bit short for some people, but three hours over the other side, I think that’s more than most people’s average shop time.
“Three hours might still encourage people to park and go off somewhere else.”
Linda Waltz said she disagreed with the new rules.
“If I bring my four grandkids in here shopping, one girl and three boys of all different ages, it’s going to take longer than that [three hours] and I don’t think I should have to pay a fine.”
The Trafalgar Square spokesperson said genuine shoppers who wanted to stay longer than three hours just needed to stop by the centre management office and give the manager their number plate to avoid being fined.
“We’ll make sure it goes into the system.”
With four kids in tow, reporting her number plate could be difficult, Waltz said,
“I’ll just go shopping in town instead and pay the parking meter. Then I’ll know when I need to be back.”
Smart Compliance Management’s website states that it only operates on sites that are situated on private land and it has written authority to operate and issue breach notices on all of its sites from the landowner.
“Should we receive no correspondence from you within 21 days, you will be issued a reminder breach notice that will include an extra $20 administration fee on top of the original breach notice amount.
“If you have not contacted us within 35 days of the date of the first breach notice, your details will be passed on to a debt collection agency.”
When a vehicle has been parked in breach of the terms and conditions of a private car park, registered ownership details are provided to the company by Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency.
If you receive a parking breach notice, Smart Compliance Management provide an online appeals process to those that receive a breach notice.
