Whakatāne District Council is trialing an electronic parking management system designed to improve parking warden safety and enhance parking efficiency throughout our district.
About the trial
Starting 7 April 2025, a specialised parking enforcement vehicle equipped with license plate recognition technology will begin operating throughout Whakatāne. This six-week trial represents our commitment to:
- Protecting parking wardens from potentially confrontational situations
- Improving parking turnover
- Ensuring more consistent and efficient parking enforcement
- Gathering valuable data on parking patterns in our community
Why this matters
The safety of our parking wardens is a top priority. Unfortunately, parking staff often face challenging interactions with the public, including verbal and physical abuse. This new technology allows them to monitor parking compliance from inside their vehicles, significantly reducing their exposure to aggressive behavior while maintaining effective enforcement.
What to expect during the trial
- Regular on-foot parking patrols will continue as usual
- No infringement notices will be issued from the trial technology
- The system will collect data on parking patterns and potential violations
- All existing parking regulations remain in effect
Benefits to our community
This technology trial offers several advantages for Whakatāne residents and visitors:
- Enhanced safety: Reduced risk of confrontational situations for parking staff
- Improved business access: Better parking turnover benefits local businesses
- Consistent enforcement: More systematic monitoring of parking compliance
- Data-driven decisions: Future parking management informed by comprehensive data
Next steps
Following the six-week trial period, Whakatāne District Council will evaluate the collected data to assess the system's effectiveness in enhancing staff safety while ensuring efficient parking management throughout our district.
We encourage all residents and visitors to continue following parking regulations as usual during this trial period.
Frequently Asked Questions - Parking Technology Trial
About the trial
Q: What is the purpose of collecting this data?
A: The trial is gathering data to determine whether this system would be suitable for permanent implementation in Whakatāne. The primary focus is improving parking warden safety while efficiently monitoring parking compliance. Datacom will use the information to create a business plan for potential future implementation.
Q: What technology is being used?
A: The system uses Automatic License Plate Recognition cameras mounted on parking enforcement vehicles. These cameras can read license plates and record the time and location of parked vehicles.
Q: How much does the trial cost?
A: The trial costs $1500+GST and includes all necessary equipment, installation, training and data analysis.
Q: What happens after the trial?
A: After the trial concludes, Whakatāne District council will analyse the data collected to determine the effectiveness of the technology. We'll evaluate both the parking management benefits and the impact on officer safety. The Council will then decide whether to implement the system permanently based on the results.
Enforcement and tickets
Q: Will I get a ticket if the system detects my car overstaying?
A: No. During the trial period, no infringement notices will be issued based solely on the trial technology. The trial is purely to evaluate how well the system works in our environment. However, please note that regular parking officer patrols will continue as normal throughout the trial period, and parking infringements may still be issued through standard enforcement processes.
Q: What gives parking wardens at the council the authority to issue parking fines and enforce parking regulations?
A: Parking wardens get their powers from the Land Transport Act 1998. This law allows them to:
- Issue tickets for illegal parking
- Ask drivers for their name and contact details
- Tell drivers to move their vehicles that are causing obstructions or creating safety hazards
- Move vehicles that are blocking roads or driveways
According to Land Transport regulations, parking wardens can enforce these specific offenses:
- Operating a motor vehicle without displaying current evidence of vehicle inspection
- Failure to display light on parked goods-service vehicle
- Using a tyre with worn, damaged, or visible cords
- Using a tyre without adequate tread pattern or depth
The law makes it clear that everyone must follow the directions of a parking warden, and there are fines if you don't. This is why Whakatāne District Council's parking wardens can legally enforce these rules throughout our town, ensuring fair and consistent management of our public parking spaces.
Q: What does electric chalking mean?
A: Electric chalking is a digital version of the traditional method where parking officers mark tyres with chalk to track how long a vehicle has been parked. The electronic system records licence plates and vehicle positions digitally, providing more accurate and efficient tracking. This also means officers don't need to physically mark vehicles, reducing their exposure to potential confrontations with disgruntled drivers.
Monitoring and coverage
Q: What other areas will be monitored?
A: In addition to central business district parking, the technology will also monitor areas around schools to help ensure the safety of tamariki/children.
Q: Where can I park if I don't want to be part of this surveillance exercise?
A: There are several free parking options available if you prefer not to park in monitored areas. Council car parks are situated at:
| McAlister Street Car Park | Free all day parking |
| Pyne Street Car Park | Free all day parking |
| Kakaharoa Drive | Car park P120 parking and Free all day parking |
| Clifton Road | Free all day parking |
| Civic Centre | Car park P120 |
Vehicle WoF, registration and mobility cards
Q: Will the cameras check for registration or warrant of fitness?
A: No, the technology being trialed is not able to detect warrant of fitness or registration status. The system is specifically designed to monitor parking duration in time-limited zones.
Q: How will this affect people with mobility cards?
A: The council is currently working on how the technology can distinguish vehicles with mobility permits. The system typically takes a rear photo of vehicles, which may not show mobility permits displayed on dashboards, though this is still being refined. Mobility card holders will not be penalised.
Privacy and data
Q: How does this affect my privacy?
A: The system only captures license plate information and vehicle location data in public parking areas. This information is securely stored and will only be used for parking management purposes.
Q: What will be done with the data?
A: The data will be kept in-house by the council. It will be used to analyse where parking overstays are occurring and to better understand parking patterns in Whakatāne. This information will help inform future parking management decisions and will contribute to Datacom's business plan for a potential permanent solution.
Benefits and safety
Q: Why is Whakatāne considering this technology?
A: This technology offers several benefits:
• More efficient monitoring of parking zones
• Increased parking availability through better enforcement of time limits
• Enhanced safety for parking officers by reducing face-to-face confrontations
• Protection of staff from verbal abuse and potential physical threats
• Reduced disputes through better evidence collection
• More consistent and fair parking enforcement
Q: How does this improve warden safety?
A: The technology allows parking wardens to monitor compliance from inside their vehicles rather than approaching cars on foot. This significantly reduces the risk of confrontational situations and verbal abuse that officers often face when issuing tickets in person.