North Shore Times (New Zealand)
AT calls ‘full time’ on parking perks
The removal of parking permits to the Takapuna Tennis Club has ‘‘killed’’ membership.
In the past, the council’s transport arm issued 15 to 20 parking permits to tennis clubs, which allowed players and spectators to over-run the usual three-hour street parking restriction.
In July 2016, these were revoked by Auckland Transport.
Takapuna Tennis Club’s midweek captain Sally Tetro says the decision to revoke the parking permits has all but ended the long standing sports club.
‘‘In 10 years, we have gone from 11 interclub teams to half of one team,’’ Tetro said.
‘‘We were getting by with the permits. Now we have nothing.’’
The club is located on Bracken Ave and the road is split between 180-minute parking restrictions and pay-the-metre parking.
Between the all-day parkers from Takapuna city and local businesses using the road, the club is now all but completely gone, she said.
Devonport-Takapuna Local Board member Jan O’Connor said the removal of permits is ‘‘quite ridiculous’’.
Takapuna Tennis Club was built over 100 years ago, and the city has built up around it, O’Connor said.
‘‘We [local government] should be encouraging sport. By not allowing the permits, they are drawing the curtains on the clubs, very, very slowly.’’
Milford Tennis Club is also affected by the permit removal.
Club member Sarah Thornton received her first fine on February 27, at 12.52pm, because her Monday tennis game ran over three hours.
At $15 a ticket, Thorton said it is not the amount but the principle that bothers her.
‘‘I don’t understand while the council on the one hand is encouraging sport and recreation but on the other is making it more difficult for us,’’ she said.
Auckland Transport changed the way parking permits are issued to provide a consistent and fair approach across Auckland, spokesman Mark Hannan said.
‘‘Legacy councils provided parking permits, which added significant pressure to town centre parking.’’
Three-hour parking provides a balanced approach, it is short enough for local businesses to benefit from customer turnover and long enough to provide enough time for people who use the car parks, like tennis players, he said.