Auckland Council has lost the first battle in its bid to ban parking on berms.
While current regulations mean parking on grass berms is prohibited, under the Land Transport Act "no parking" signs have to be installed every 100m to enforce the ban.
Auckland Transport (AT) wants the power to fine offenders - even if there are no 'no parking' signs.
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Auckland Council took a remit to the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) AGM on Sunday, seeking approval for the ban.
But it lost the vote after provincial councils spoke against the proposal. Waitemata Local Board chairwoman Pippa Coom shared outcome from the event with a tweet.
The council says parking on berms damages them, as well as the utilities under them.
"On a [rainy] day... a vehicle could easily wreck a berm," AT spokesperson Mark Hannan told Newshub earlier this week.
Just 36 of Auckland's streets are signposted, and Hannan told Newshub extending them to all relevant sites would be not only costly but also time-consuming.
"We don't want to add to visual clutter and place signs every 100 metres down the road," he said.
NZME reports it costs the council approximately $50,000 to install 'no parking' signs on a single Auckland street, and takes three to four months.
Hannan says 'no parking' signs are often vandalised, contributing to said "visual clutter" and maintenance costs.
The New Zealand Automobile Association (NZAA) says it's not fair for the council to punish motorists for berm-parking in areas with no signage, as they may not be aware of the law.
"Such a general prohibition would need to be heavily advertised over a long period of time, and even then it is doubtful all vehicle users would be made aware (consider for example visitors from outside the region)," it said in a submission made in August 2018, when the idea of the amendment was first raised.
"In the NZAA's view, it is more effective to signpost the prohibition where parking on grass verges is creating a particular problem, such as damaging underground services or restricting visibility."
The NZAA says the law change ignores areas in which berm parking is preferable or necessary, such as narrow suburban streets or outside school grounds.
"In most cases, we believe parking off a roadway is permissible, acceptable and safe, and so only on the occasions that it is not, RCAs should set bylaws, and provide appropriate warning signs."
Newshub.
