Cars parked on the grass on 13th Avenue, near Tauranga Boys' College. Photo/ Bob Tulloch
Cars parked on the grass on 13th Avenue, near Tauranga Boys' College. Photo/ Bob Tulloch
Dual city council parking ticket blitzes along one avenue have left one mother scratching her head after numerous Tauranga Boys’ College students got stung.
Ōmokoroa parent Faye, who did not want her last name published, said the council first ticketed everyone on 13th Avenue from February 12 to 18.
“My son reckons they got about 40 students.”
The parking wardens struck again from March 3 to 8 and about 30 students were ticketed, she said.
A lot of the students come from as far away as Ōmokoroa or Pāpāmoa, where in her view public transport could be unreliable, Faye said.
“There’s no bus, so he might as well just keep driving.”
The students who drive to school were forced to compete for car parks with the rest of the workers in Tauranga and get trapped in a 120-minute parking zone.
Cars parked on 13th Avenue. Photo / Bob Tulloch
She wants the council to release the parking down 13th Avenue to all-day parking, allowing students to stay at school for after-school sports and extracurricular activities.
Tauranga Boys’ College students now park at the Wesley Methodist Church on the grass area, Faye said.
Many community groups used the complex at Wesley Methodist Church on 13th Ave through the working week and at weekends, property manager Jeremy Whimster said in a statement.
“Over the past 20 years or so, more people have been using their vehicles to access the complex.”
He had witnessed more people coming to the area to work, study, and live, placing a premium on the limited parking spaces.
“On very busy days, the grassed area on our property is fully occupied, damaging the turf on wet winter days.”
Due to the many groups using the church facilities, the church property management instigated a two-hour time limit on the parking space in front of the church, he said.
Tauranga City Council parking strategy manager Reece Wilkinson said the limited number of car parks under a 120-minute parking restriction on 13th Avenue had been in place since 2008.
“These restrictions are in place so people visiting the school and the many businesses in the area have access to short-term carparks,” he said.
“Meaning the street remains accessible for those not attending Tauranga Boys College.”
Due to parking constraints, students at Tauranga Boys’ College were encouraged to use alternative transport, he said.
“If they do have to travel by car, students may need to be prepared to park at other locations where restrictions allow and walk to school from there.”
Tauranga Boys’ College was approached for comment.
