1 00:00:09,093 --> 00:00:12,892 Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from newstalk EDB. Follow this 2 00:00:13,053 --> 00:00:16,133 Speaker 1: and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:16,692 --> 00:00:19,133 Speaker 2: So, as we've been discussing, the number of parking fines 4 00:00:19,253 --> 00:00:22,372 Speaker 2: AT has handed out with its licensed plate recognition cars 5 00:00:22,533 --> 00:00:25,173 Speaker 2: is almost doubled from twenty twenty three to twenty twenty 6 00:00:25,412 --> 00:00:30,453 Speaker 2: four last years, or more than half a million infringements issued. Oh, 7 00:00:30,493 --> 00:00:32,773 Speaker 2: I know half a mil. The AA hopes the parking 8 00:00:32,853 --> 00:00:36,173 Speaker 2: enforcement cards are being used for keeping spots clear rather 9 00:00:36,253 --> 00:00:39,893 Speaker 2: than revenue generation. To chat more about this, we're joined 10 00:00:39,893 --> 00:00:43,653 Speaker 2: by AA policy director Martin Glenn Martin. Very good afternoon 11 00:00:43,693 --> 00:00:43,852 Speaker 2: to you. 12 00:00:45,092 --> 00:00:45,772 Speaker 3: Good afternoon. 13 00:00:46,373 --> 00:00:49,732 Speaker 4: So Martin, how many is too many parking enforcement cars? 14 00:00:51,333 --> 00:00:54,892 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a good question, and look, that's certainly one 15 00:00:55,213 --> 00:01:00,693 Speaker 3: we can't answer. AT has made a decision that they 16 00:01:00,693 --> 00:01:04,813 Speaker 3: are a lot parking enforcement cards are a lot more efficient. 17 00:01:06,573 --> 00:01:09,893 Speaker 3: And I guess that release of the safety concerns you've 18 00:01:09,973 --> 00:01:12,773 Speaker 3: raised about parking parking water v issue for US is 19 00:01:13,533 --> 00:01:17,373 Speaker 3: is there a problem with people finding parking? That's what 20 00:01:17,493 --> 00:01:19,493 Speaker 3: you know, the parking strategies meant to be behind. And 21 00:01:19,493 --> 00:01:24,133 Speaker 3: if that's the case, then obviously parking EO does need 22 00:01:24,173 --> 00:01:27,373 Speaker 3: to be be enforced. But yeah, this this number is 23 00:01:27,413 --> 00:01:29,253 Speaker 3: a huge increase in one year. 24 00:01:29,853 --> 00:01:31,933 Speaker 2: Do you think it is fair that they have these 25 00:01:32,013 --> 00:01:34,613 Speaker 2: vehicles driving in loops all day trying to find these 26 00:01:34,652 --> 00:01:36,893 Speaker 2: people park for a couple of minutes over over what 27 00:01:36,932 --> 00:01:39,133 Speaker 2: they paid. Do you think that is fair cop or 28 00:01:39,173 --> 00:01:40,173 Speaker 2: just a little bit overboard. 29 00:01:41,493 --> 00:01:44,693 Speaker 3: I think that they're becoming increasingly common throughout the world, 30 00:01:45,053 --> 00:01:47,773 Speaker 3: and there are an other cities cities to so it's 31 00:01:47,893 --> 00:01:51,413 Speaker 3: it's probably just you know, we're getting getting speed tickets 32 00:01:51,453 --> 00:01:56,253 Speaker 3: in under things. Actually this way to its it's it's 33 00:01:56,293 --> 00:02:00,213 Speaker 3: really a question of what problem they're trying to solve 34 00:02:00,373 --> 00:02:04,613 Speaker 3: and the legitimate parking shortages people are coming into areas 35 00:02:04,613 --> 00:02:06,093 Speaker 3: and not you know, driving around around and not being 36 00:02:06,093 --> 00:02:09,613 Speaker 3: able to get a part. It kind of makes sense 37 00:02:09,613 --> 00:02:14,213 Speaker 3: to look to use these alongside parking wardens. But where 38 00:02:14,253 --> 00:02:16,533 Speaker 3: there's where there's not a problem, you know, it just 39 00:02:17,653 --> 00:02:20,653 Speaker 3: does what everybody suspicion that it's just about revenue generation. 40 00:02:21,213 --> 00:02:24,493 Speaker 4: Well, it is just about revenue generation, though, isn't It 41 00:02:24,532 --> 00:02:28,333 Speaker 4: isn't that isn't that clearly the case because you know 42 00:02:28,413 --> 00:02:32,293 Speaker 4: they're they're they're pinging people in areas where there isn't 43 00:02:32,333 --> 00:02:35,213 Speaker 4: congestion and pinging people at times when there isn't congestion, 44 00:02:35,373 --> 00:02:37,412 Speaker 4: So how do they justify that that has to be 45 00:02:37,453 --> 00:02:38,533 Speaker 4: about revenue generation. 46 00:02:39,893 --> 00:02:42,852 Speaker 3: I haven't seen any of the specific data. I mean, 47 00:02:42,853 --> 00:02:45,773 Speaker 3: this is something we've asked at time and time about 48 00:02:45,933 --> 00:02:48,693 Speaker 3: over the years, even before these cars were around them. 49 00:02:49,053 --> 00:02:54,053 Speaker 3: They're a short asset's about addressing the problem by that, 50 00:02:55,133 --> 00:02:58,733 Speaker 3: by that, by the same token. In the last year 51 00:02:58,853 --> 00:03:00,973 Speaker 3: or two, it's the council. The mayor and the council 52 00:03:01,053 --> 00:03:06,692 Speaker 3: have been leaning on at to raise or cover more 53 00:03:06,693 --> 00:03:09,093 Speaker 3: of its costs from its own sources, and they're particularly 54 00:03:09,173 --> 00:03:11,813 Speaker 3: highlighted parking. So I think it's a yeah. I do 55 00:03:11,893 --> 00:03:15,853 Speaker 3: think it's a reasonable supposition that not every parking car 56 00:03:15,893 --> 00:03:19,733 Speaker 3: out there is just is just doing it to make 57 00:03:19,773 --> 00:03:21,213 Speaker 3: sure parkings available for people. 58 00:03:21,613 --> 00:03:23,733 Speaker 2: Surely there's something in the double amount of fines, I mean, 59 00:03:23,853 --> 00:03:26,773 Speaker 2: half a million infringements and the big chunk of those 60 00:03:26,813 --> 00:03:29,532 Speaker 2: who are around parking enforcement does not take the human 61 00:03:29,613 --> 00:03:31,853 Speaker 2: element out of it. Martin that it does feel an 62 00:03:31,893 --> 00:03:35,053 Speaker 2: attack on citizens rather than seeing the context of why 63 00:03:35,133 --> 00:03:37,573 Speaker 2: someone might have stopped for an extra minute in a 64 00:03:37,573 --> 00:03:39,573 Speaker 2: particular parking spot. You get what I mean that if 65 00:03:39,573 --> 00:03:42,693 Speaker 2: there's a human warden and there's an emergency that's happened, 66 00:03:42,973 --> 00:03:46,653 Speaker 2: or whatever the reason is, there's that human element to say, hey, 67 00:03:46,693 --> 00:03:48,413 Speaker 2: fair cop, you can't park here, do what you need 68 00:03:48,493 --> 00:03:51,013 Speaker 2: to do and move on, rather than just smashing them 69 00:03:51,013 --> 00:03:51,813 Speaker 2: all with these fines. 70 00:03:53,093 --> 00:03:55,773 Speaker 3: Look, I think that's a very legitimate question. It's something 71 00:03:55,813 --> 00:03:59,853 Speaker 3: that you'd need to put to at itself. I know, well, 72 00:03:59,933 --> 00:04:05,373 Speaker 3: I understand that the parking charges are initially checked in 73 00:04:05,373 --> 00:04:08,333 Speaker 3: the office. That's definitely obviously they're big on the street 74 00:04:08,373 --> 00:04:13,853 Speaker 3: and been able to listen to somebody's explanation. But yes, 75 00:04:14,973 --> 00:04:17,452 Speaker 3: without that you can't tell us, you know, does someone 76 00:04:17,493 --> 00:04:20,373 Speaker 3: have a legitimate reason, But as you say, just being 77 00:04:20,493 --> 00:04:24,093 Speaker 3: a mintt leor too over or having not not even 78 00:04:24,133 --> 00:04:26,133 Speaker 3: paid a parking charge, because I note that was the 79 00:04:26,213 --> 00:04:28,773 Speaker 3: thing the at spots highlighted. It seem to be the 80 00:04:28,773 --> 00:04:31,053 Speaker 3: most common thing. People haven't paid a parking charge at all. 81 00:04:31,093 --> 00:04:33,813 Speaker 3: So it's probably deshing into the shop for a minute 82 00:04:33,893 --> 00:04:35,573 Speaker 3: or two in picking it it's not worth paying and 83 00:04:35,573 --> 00:04:36,853 Speaker 3: parking charge. 84 00:04:36,453 --> 00:04:38,653 Speaker 4: And then some punishes zooms passed and pings them with 85 00:04:38,733 --> 00:04:42,693 Speaker 4: no nuance at all. So if this, you know, it 86 00:04:42,693 --> 00:04:44,653 Speaker 4: gets to the point where it's no longer a friendly 87 00:04:44,773 --> 00:04:47,733 Speaker 4: back and forth, and there's no gray area in terms 88 00:04:47,773 --> 00:04:51,533 Speaker 4: of some you know, empathy or consideration about what people 89 00:04:51,573 --> 00:04:53,893 Speaker 4: are doing in their day, because we're all members of 90 00:04:54,373 --> 00:04:57,973 Speaker 4: this of any particular city we live in, and you know, 91 00:04:58,013 --> 00:04:59,853 Speaker 4: we're all trying to get around and do our business 92 00:04:59,853 --> 00:05:04,093 Speaker 4: and visit shops and keep the economy running. So is 93 00:05:04,133 --> 00:05:07,253 Speaker 4: it time to ask questions around their right to charge 94 00:05:07,293 --> 00:05:09,053 Speaker 4: us at all? We've already paid for the roads through 95 00:05:09,133 --> 00:05:12,893 Speaker 4: rates and taxes, and you know, isn't it our right 96 00:05:13,013 --> 00:05:15,813 Speaker 4: to just park on the road that we already own? 97 00:05:16,013 --> 00:05:19,213 Speaker 4: I mean, the council doesn't own it, the citizens own it. 98 00:05:19,253 --> 00:05:22,253 Speaker 4: So I could maybe understand if they find you if 99 00:05:22,253 --> 00:05:25,093 Speaker 4: you've been there for two hours, But where does the 100 00:05:25,133 --> 00:05:28,293 Speaker 4: moral right to charge us for the first from minute 101 00:05:28,293 --> 00:05:29,933 Speaker 4: one that we park on our own streets? 102 00:05:32,533 --> 00:05:34,533 Speaker 3: I mean, I agree with you, and I think there 103 00:05:34,573 --> 00:05:38,333 Speaker 3: is an element of with any fine, whether it's parking 104 00:05:38,573 --> 00:05:41,133 Speaker 3: or anything else, there needs to be an element of discretion, 105 00:05:41,213 --> 00:05:43,853 Speaker 3: and that's where the human factor comes in it. I 106 00:05:43,893 --> 00:05:47,893 Speaker 3: don't know what the at back office does when these 107 00:05:47,973 --> 00:05:53,253 Speaker 3: cameras presumably download all the infringements they've taken, and I 108 00:05:53,333 --> 00:05:55,773 Speaker 3: understand the humans still got to look at them one 109 00:05:55,813 --> 00:05:58,893 Speaker 3: by one. But it would say you could argue that 110 00:05:59,133 --> 00:06:01,693 Speaker 3: that's you know, that's too remote to kind of understand 111 00:06:01,693 --> 00:06:05,533 Speaker 3: everybody's circumstances. So yeah, there is people do have an 112 00:06:05,533 --> 00:06:08,533 Speaker 3: objection right process, they can go for it. And that's 113 00:06:08,573 --> 00:06:12,733 Speaker 3: something else A members reasonably regularly contact us about. 114 00:06:13,573 --> 00:06:16,333 Speaker 4: Now the AT is always talking about and this is 115 00:06:16,333 --> 00:06:19,293 Speaker 4: true across the whole country. They're talking about, you know, 116 00:06:19,693 --> 00:06:21,933 Speaker 4: congestion problems. And this might be a bit of a 117 00:06:22,013 --> 00:06:25,573 Speaker 4: leading question, but whose fault is the shortage of parking 118 00:06:25,773 --> 00:06:28,093 Speaker 4: in the CBD of say Auckland. 119 00:06:30,733 --> 00:06:32,413 Speaker 3: Well, I was able to listen to some of your 120 00:06:33,573 --> 00:06:38,893 Speaker 3: story a few minutes ago. An Auckland council you're absolutely 121 00:06:38,973 --> 00:06:41,213 Speaker 3: ride has been going through a kind of city center 122 00:06:41,853 --> 00:06:44,733 Speaker 3: access plan for the best part of a decade now, 123 00:06:44,933 --> 00:06:47,893 Speaker 3: of which the city rail link is one of the centerpieces, 124 00:06:48,533 --> 00:06:51,293 Speaker 3: and it's aimed at making it more easier for other 125 00:06:51,373 --> 00:06:53,733 Speaker 3: modes to get around. And that's that's obviously at the 126 00:06:53,733 --> 00:06:57,013 Speaker 3: next sense of the car. So that's a legitimate question 127 00:06:57,133 --> 00:07:01,453 Speaker 3: to put to them. There there buildings like the Downtown 128 00:07:01,493 --> 00:07:05,733 Speaker 3: Car Park, which holds two thousand people that have been 129 00:07:05,893 --> 00:07:11,733 Speaker 3: sold to to to Development's planning on putting high rises up. 130 00:07:12,213 --> 00:07:16,253 Speaker 3: Auckland Council continuously sees the off street parking is a 131 00:07:16,293 --> 00:07:20,893 Speaker 3: surplus available that's never full. It doesn't need to provide 132 00:07:20,933 --> 00:07:24,533 Speaker 3: be down to parking space it wants to, but you're right, 133 00:07:24,613 --> 00:07:27,213 Speaker 3: it's still the main way. Most of us excess the 134 00:07:27,293 --> 00:07:30,773 Speaker 3: city center as through a car, so you're getting that 135 00:07:30,853 --> 00:07:32,293 Speaker 3: ballance riders tricky. 136 00:07:32,733 --> 00:07:35,493 Speaker 2: Yeah, thank you so much, great discussion, Martin. Thank you 137 00:07:35,653 --> 00:07:37,693 Speaker 2: very much for joining us. Really appreciate it, and have 138 00:07:37,693 --> 00:07:38,733 Speaker 2: a good rest of the afternoon. 139 00:07:40,053 --> 00:07:40,973 Speaker 3: Cheers you guys too. 140 00:07:41,573 --> 00:07:44,533 Speaker 1: For more from News Talks B listen live on air 141 00:07:44,693 --> 00:07:47,413 Speaker 1: or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you 142 00:07:47,493 --> 00:07:49,893 Speaker 1: go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.