Source: Radio New Zealand
RNZ/Supplied
Businesses in a South Auckland suburb say they are sick of 18-wheeler commercial trucks blocking their access paths, doing roadside repairs and leaving oil on the streets.
They often park on berms, blind corners and block driveways.
Janine Allen from local business Mfi Engineering said she has had a gutsful.
“They’re all the way along and they’re truck and trailers. They’re obviously cartage companies and they’re not having to pay for any fees for parking.
“We’ve taken so many photos of them doing work on their trucks, they’ll have vans there and they’re doing welding on the side of the road, they’re up on the footpath.”
Allen said during the day the roadsides are like open-air mechanic workshops.
When it rains, she said engine oil and coolant left on the road is flushed down into the gutters.
“We have a very high environmental threshold in our yard and yet, these guys are able to do that out on the road and put it down through into the waterways.
“We have to pay thousands of dollars, we get inspected, we have to do all this to keep on the right side of the law and these guys are out there on the roadside just dumping it.”
Down the road, Ron Salter from Salters Cartage Limited said the trucks parking on the roadside is a safety risk for his business.
“Because of our big units, our 60-tonne units, we can’t physically get out without jack-knifing the truck, because they park on both sides of the road and just block us in.”
Ron Salter said it’s been going on for at least five years and so far, his drivers have already had a few close calls.
“Because we cart petrol, diesel and oil, that’s what we’re frightened of someone hitting the side of our trucks, taking our valves out and causing a massive spill.
“We can’t control it; it will go straight into the Manukau Harbour and could end up by the airport.”
RNZ/Supplied
No enforcement of rules
Auckland Council brought in the Vehicle Use and Parking Bylaw in July last year to help manage the parking of vehicles if they’re causing obstruction, safety risks and damage to the environment.
But Gary Holmes from the Wiri Business Association said there’s no enforcement of rules by Auckland Transport.
Instead, the businesses association’s been self-funding patrols, and they’ve recorded 7000 heavy truck incidents.
Holmes said some trucks have been causing problems for seven to eight months, but they’re able to do it because of what he sees as shortcomings with the bylaw.
“The frustrating part is that they are technically parked legally.”
The business association outlined its concerns to Parliament’s regulation review committee last month.
“[We] argued the fact that there’s a gap in the legislation because it’s causing issues.”
Another issue is when the trucks park overnight, they often don’t have legally required red-rear-lights causing a crash hazard.
The fine is $255, but Holmes said tickets have only been issued because his patrols are reporting offending trucks to AT.
“Often there could be 15 to 20 trucks each night.”
Calls for amendments to bylaw
The Wiri Business Association’s submission to Parliament’s regulation review committee asks Auckland Transport and Auckland Council to pass mandatory restrictions.
They want amendments to the bylaw and to the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 so there’s stronger legislation that enforces parking and environmental rules in all industrial zones.
Auckland Transport told Checkpoint there has been an increase in the number of heavy trucks parked in Manurewa, Otara, Takanini, Manukau, Wiri, Papatoetoe and Papakura.
Since the bylaw came in last July, AT has issued 1572 fines for trucks parked without a rear facing light, including 281 fines in Wiri, where the business association is patrolling,
AT’s parking services manager John Strawbridge said it’s not an offence to park in an unrestricted road if a vehicle has a valid Certificate of Fitness and registration.
Fines are issued in cases where they’re illegally parked.
He said when AT acts on a complaint they find that in 90 percent of cases the truck has moved or is legally parked when officers arrive.
Strawbridge said that trucks aren’t allowed to do roadside repairs or work that damages the road, or creates an obstacle, nuisance, disruption or safety risk.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Transport has consulted on a set of proposals including one to clarify signage requirements in the rules for councils to enforce berm parking.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand