As part of Government increases to a range of parking infringements and towage fees, parking fines for people misusing mobility parks will rise from $150 to $750 on 1 October.

Council’s Group Manager of Compliance and Development Ian Hyde said parking fines and fees were set by the Government and most had not changed since they were introduced in 2004.

“The increases take into account inflation over the years, as well as the actual cost of towage fees, which have risen by almost 70 per cent in 20 years.”

The biggest increase will be for people misusing mobility carparks, with the fine increasing to $750.

For standard parks, the fine for overstaying not more than 30 minutes will rise from $12 to $20, for overstaying up to an hour from $15 to $25, and for overstaying up to two hours from $21 to $36.

The fine for a vehicle obstructing an entrance or driveway rises from $40 to $70.

Announcing the changes recently, Government’s Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston said the penalty for abusing mobility parking in New Zealand was far too low compared to other countries and increasing it would send a clear message that the behaviour was not okay.

Regulated fees for towage and impoundment have not been updated since at least 2004 and no longer covered operators’ costs. The Government has agreed to an inflation-based increase to these fees, which also come into effect from 1 October.

You can find the full range of new infringement fees, set by the Government, here.