Latest news with #RickBidgood
RNZ News
7 days ago
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Auckland Transport collects almost $19 million since parking fines hiked
Auckland Transport's collected almost $19 million in fines since October 2024. Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro Auckland Transport's (AT) collected almost $19 million in fines since parking penalties went up 70 percent in October last year. That's the same amount in nine months as it collected in the whole of 2024 and double what was collected the year before that. Head of Transport and Parking Compliance Rick Bidgood told Morning Report said people were "getting the message" when it came to parking fines. "Look I think they are really getting a message now when it comes to fines generically across the range, but certainly that $750 mobility infringement is quite significant." But Bidgood said there was still some people making "not great choices" despite the infringement costs, which he said were not set by Auckland Transport. "These levels are set at a national level so its nothing that Auckland Transport has any input into... We haven't had a significant fee increase for many many years so I guess they just moving things up to make it as adherent as it needs to be so people make a positive choice rather than a negative choice." There were about 140 infringements issued across Auckland per hour, which Bidgood said was relatively low in comparison to the population. He also said staff on the street were just as important as the parking cameras. "I really need the guys and girls on the street because we got about 4000 requests for service every single month where people are having issues that we attend to." Examples of issues included vehicles blocking driveways, breaking downs and abandon vehicles, he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
1News
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- 1News
Licence plate recognition tech being used for parking enforcement
People may have seen them driving around – cars fitted out with cameras, patrolling streets with parking limits. Auckland Transport now has a fleet of 23 of these cars – two more are set to join that fleet shortly. The organisation's parking compliance manager Rick Bidgood says its the biggest fleet in the Southern Hemisphere. "I have to keep up with the expansion of Auckland," he told 1News. "I can't do that by throwing more people, more people, more people." The city has 173 on-foot parking officers, but using the vehicles means compliance staff can cover far more ground, far more quickly. 1News went for a ride-along in one of the licence plate recognition cars. The automated cameras snap pictures of licence plates. Pictures of vehicles that have stayed too long are reviewed the next day and a fine is issued. "In my experience, the worst offenders are commuters, those who park and catch a bus into town to work," said parking officer Rob Harrison. While AT has seen some spikes in infringement revenue, including when parking ticket fees increased nationwide last October, Bidgood said, overall, revenue has remained steady since the introduction of the vehicles. "Compliance is a funny thing. The more consistent you do it, the better the compliance, the less issuance." Other cities are also rolling out this tech. Wellington has introduced 4 licence plate recognition cars to its parking services fleet, with their use to be expanded in the future. A Christchurch City Council spokesperson told 1News: "We hope to have this technology operational and functional on our network in the near future." Even smaller cities are using LPR cars. A New Plymouth District Council Spokesperson told 1News the city "started using the system this week and have one car fitted out, with no plans for more". Auckland Transport told 1News it only retains footage as evidence if an offence is challenged. Otherwise it's deleted within 48 hours. The organisation added that parking officers wouldn't be replaced, but upskilled with this new technology.
