Parking fines to rise following Government decision

If you plan to misuse a disabled parking spot in Waipā, you’d better be prepared to be hit in the wallet.

Parking infringement fines, which are set by the Government and enforced by local councils, are increasing significantly from October 1. The fine for parking in a space reserved for people with mobility difficulties without displaying a permit will rise from $150 to a hefty $750.

So far this year, Waipā District Council has issued 42 infringement notices to people parking in disabled spaces without a mobility permit.

Enforcement team leader Ken Danby said that 16 of those were later cancelled, as the person had simply forgotten to display their permit.

“But it is easier to display your permit than to go through the process of getting a ticket cancelled. The new infringement fine is quite a lot of money, so if you are parking legitimately in a disabled park it pays to display your permit.”

Danby said this also applies to people using supermarket car parks. “Although some are private, some are partly owned by the council, and we will issue an infringement ticket if we see someone breaking the rules.”

Parking in Waipā is free, though some spaces have time restrictions around central business areas where parking is in high demand. Infringements can also be issued for parking on broken yellow lines, in bus stops, across driveways and on footpaths and loading zones.

All other parking fines have also been increased by the Government including towage and impoundment fees which have not been raised since 2004.

Parking infringement fees can be found on our parking page on our website - Parking