Auckland beach speed crackdown: Vehicles impounded, fines issued at Karioitahi

Police conducted Operation Beaches at Karioitahi and Muriwai at the beginning of summer. Photo / Taylor Harvey

• Police impounded several vehicles and issued fines at Karioitahi Beach after lowering the speed limit.
• The beach’s speed limit was reduced from 60km/h to 20km/h following a request from Ngāti te Ata.
• Police praised most drivers for compliance but will continue regular patrols to ensure safety.

By Torika Tokalau, Local Democracy Reporter

Several vehicles have been impounded and a number of fines issued to drivers at an Auckland beach, which recently had its speed limit lowered.

Karioitahi Beach, a black sand beach located in the southwest of the Auckland region, has a 20km/h speed limit – introduced before Christmas.

Classified as a public road, the speed limit used to be 60km/h. It is one of only two beaches in the region where driving is allowed.

Police conducted Operation Beaches at Karioitahi and Muriwai at the beginning of summer.

Counties Manukau South area prevention manager Matt Hoyes said a number of vehicles were impounded at Karioitahi, including a pink-stickered vehicle on Boxing Day for driving in the “no drive zone” of the beach.

A pink sticker indicates a car is unsafe to drive and should be taken off the road.

Police didn’t provide the figures for how many cars were impounded or the number of speeding tickets issued.

“Police would like to thank the locals and visitors to Karioitahi who followed the road rules during Operation Beaches,” Hoyes said.

“Overall, police were very pleased with the behaviour in and around the area.

“The beach is classified as a road and there are specific rules in place, so it was great to see most people following those rules and keeping safe.”

The lower speed limit was enforced after a request from local iwi Ngāti te Ata.

On January 4, a motorbike rider was also arrested and his bike impounded after driving dangerously along the beach.

Officers also issued a number of infringements to drivers who were driving in a manner liable to cause injury, damage or annoyance.

“Although a number of vehicles were impounded, most drivers had a current warrant of fitness, registration and permit to drive on the beach.”

Karioitahi Beach in Auckland's southwest. Photo / ATEED

Although Operation Beaches had concluded, Hoyes said police would continue to regularly patrol Karioitahi, “to make sure it remains a safe and secure environment for everyone this summer”.

Franklin Local Board chairwoman Angela Fulljames, in an earlier interview, said Karioitahi has been mistreated by careless drivers for a long time.

“Every year we receive complaints from beachgoers, often families, about driver behaviour and their determination to treat the beach as their private speedway despite education campaigns and calls for restraint,” Fulljames said.

At Muriwai, police said they were extremely pleased with the public’s cooperation.

Waitematā North Police area prevention manager Roger Small said their operation at the West Auckland beach would continue until February.

Enforcement data would be available at a later stage, he said.

“It’s still early days but there has been good compliance rates from road and beach users to date,” Small said.

“Police, along with our partner agencies, will continue to be present in the area throughout the summer period.”

- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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