Longer parking time limits on one of Auckland’s most ticketed streets have helped cut the number of parking infringements by more than half.
By Torika Tokalau, Local Democracy Reporter
Last year, Onehunga Mall was the second-highest ticketed street in Auckland, racking up 8782 parking tickets, and the sixth overall for revenue generated, with a whopping $196,308 collected in infringement fees.
Locals and shoppers complained for years about the restrictive 30-minute parking limits in the area, which forced some of them to avoid the mall altogether.
However, a year-long pilot initiative launched by the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board in May to improve parking in and around Onehunga Mall has seen a decrease in parking breaches.
According to Auckland Transport, parking infringements have reduced to 87 per week in the 2026 financial year so far.
In 2024, there were 305 infringements issued per week, and 186 a week last year.
“The initiative does seem to be working,” Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board chair Debbie Burrows said.
The pilot introduced 60-minute parking along Onehunga Mall between Church Street and Grey Street, and 120-minute parking on surrounding streets including Princes Street, Church Street, Waller Street and Arthur Street.
Burrows said they knew 30-minute parking was restrictive, based on the sheer volume of complaints from the public.
“We knew we had to try something, and those complaints have dropped off significantly, almost non-existent now, which is huge.”
Burrows said the local board had the flexibility to tweak a few parking limits in some streets, after reviewing feedback from the public.
She encouraged the public to continue giving feedback on the pilot.
“There are some areas that we will look at either reducing or increasing, based on the feedback that we’re receiving.”
AT group manager parking services John Strawbridge said the initial data looked promising, but indicated that not every change made was working.
“The data is only part of the story, and we very much want to hear from stakeholders who use the parking on a day-to-day basis as to how and where we can make further changes,” Strawbridge said.
“We are planning a drop-in session in the town centre to give people the chance to speak to the team directly, but we welcome ongoing feedback.”
Burrows said she doesn’t believe Onehunga Mall will make the list of being one of the most ticketed streets in the region this year.
“The compliance vehicle used to continuously be going up and down Onehunga Mall because it was a hot spot. But now, because there are varying degrees of parking limits, I don’t see that [compliance] car there anywhere near as often now.
“The numbers are down, but I think we’re also off their radar.”
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
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