City councils would dearly like a new source of revenue. They are forever asking Governments for an alternative to property rates, or at least an addition to them. Governments are not convinced. So perhaps we should not be surprised to discover the Auckland Council has parking wardens prowling the streets as we sleep, ticketing cars for revenue.
It can only be for revenue. The cars can't be obstructing traffic or committing other offences at times such as 2am when the tickets are being issued. If they are parked on the verge or, heaven forbid, facing the wrong way, does it matter at that time of the morning?
The vehicles may spend the day in company carparks or other places not as accessible as the street to traffic wardens but even so, it is strange to go checking their registrations and warrants of fitness in the small hours. Creepy, even. Who wants a warden peering around the car out front of a house where the owners are asleep?
We report today that the council's "night team" of 10 full time staff collected half a million dollars last year. That averages $50,000 each over the year, which surely does not cover the costs of employing them. But, as we also report, much more is expected from them. Auckland Transport (AT) has budgeted for $31.9 million from parking fines this financial year.
At $40 a fine that is nearly 800,000 tickets, or one for every driver in the region. AT, the overseer of the city's public transport, might be on a mission to make the private car a less attractive option but street patrols at the dead of night goes too far.
