Chch parking fines to double from August 1

Press, 24 July 1987, Page 4

Chch parking fines to double from August 1

Christchurch City Council parking fines will double and the powers of the parking wardens will increase from August 1. Under the recent Transport Amendment Act, 1987, the council has decided to increase the infringement fees to the maximum allowed under the new scale but offer a rebate should the fine be paid within 14 days. The superintendent the car-parking division, Mr Geoff Stevenson, said the fees had not been increased since 1981 and although the increase

seemed high it did no more than reflect the increase in the cost of living. “A lot of people were finding it more economic to take the risk of getting an infringement than paying for the park,” he said. The low rate of revenue return from the parking meter had been a matter of concern for some years and the council hoped the increase in the parking fines would act as a deterrent and encourage people to use the meters. From Saturday August 1 a parking offence of 30

minutes will increase from $4 to $lO ($8 if paid within 14 days); of 30 minutes to an hour from $7 to $l4 ($12); of an hour to two hours $lO to $2O ($15); of two hours to four hours, $l5 to $3O ($25); and of more than four hours, from $l7 to $34 ($29). The fine for any other parking offence will increase from $2O to $4O without any rebate. From the same date parking wardens will have the authority to issue fines for worn or damaged tyres, vehicles without a

current warrant of fitness, unlicensed vehicles or vehicles without properly fixed registration plates, and for service vehicles failing to display a red light while parked.

All the offences will carry a $4O fine.

Mr Stevenson said the council had run a test check in the central city several weeks ago and reported 68 unlicensed vehicles, 38 with smooth tyres, and 40 without a warrant of fitness. The council intended to issue reminders to advise

people that their car licensing or warrant of fitness was due to expire, he said.

Mr Stevenson said it would be difficult to estimate whether the additional offences would result in a heavier workload for the wardens.

Ideally, the increase in the infringements would be such a successful deterrent that the wardens would not have to spend so much time writing tickets, thus freeing them for the other duties, he said.