Carpark chaos after glitch traps motorists

Getting your car in to four Auckland parking buildings was easy on Tuesday - but a ticketing machine glitch meant getting out wasn't so easy. Photo / NZ Herald

Motorist Auckland Transport had to send extra staff to its four city parking buildings yesterday to let out hundreds of motorists prevented by a software failure from using the ticketing machines.

The fault, which struck overnight on Tuesday, caused major headaches for commuters trying to pay for "earlybird" parking.

Although the fault was resolved by about 8.30am, staff had to stay at the facilities all day to lift barrier arms to let vehicles out of the buildings in Victoria St, Karangahape Rd, the Downtown Centre and Aotea Square.

One woman complained that when she tried to pay $13 for early parking at a ticketing machine, a maximum fee of $29 flashed up and her credit card was swallowed by the machine.

"I waited while more people started queuing up to pay at machines but they weren't working."

The woman said an Auckland Transport official arrived to try to sort out the chaos with a regular parking operator by letting them know they could pay when they left the building.

But she said the operator was rude and unhelpful, refusing to believe a machine had swallowed her card, so she asked to leave the building.

The official tried to obtain a ticket to let her out at no charge, but she said the operator insisted she pay $3 for her brief stay.

Auckland Transport spokeswoman Sharon Hunter said the woman would be reimbursed for the cost of obtaining a new credit card. She said other commuters unable to pay in the morning were let out free of charge when they returned to the buildings.