Rule changes recommended by the Tauranga City Council will allow more mobile traders to operate in some parks, while introducing a blanket ban in others.

The latest changes to the council Mobile Shops Policy, which is now out for public consultation, increases the number of mobile shops able to trade at some of the city's busier venues, while stopping them completely from operating at any council park without a formed carpark.

Council is changing mobile trading rules again. Photo: File

For example, traders at Memorial Park can increase in number from two to three, and similarly at Waipuna Park. Traders at Papamoa Domain double from one to two.

But the proposed changes effectively ban mobile traders from the entire length of Maranui Street and Papamoa Beach Road from Sunrise Avenue to Coast Boulevard.

In the report to the Strategy and Policy Committee, council staff say Maranui Street and Papamoa Beach Road are experiencing relatively higher volumes of traffic and the berm is narrower along this area, leading to concerns about general road safety.

The staff report claims mobile shops trading in this location could also potentially affect the safety of people wanting to access the beach via the boardwalk.

The total ban on trading on any reserve or park without a formed carpark to the prohibition location list is done to clarify the intent of the current policy and ensure reserve grounds are protected, states the council paper.

Other prohibited reserves are: Bethlehem Hall Site, Cambridge Park, Matua Park, May Street Reserve, Scout Reserve, Welcome Bay Hall Site, Welcome Bay Scout Hall Site.

The key issue driving the review is the operation of mobile shops on reserves and the need to clarify the conditions.

Until now, rules for mobile shops have been separated in two different council policies, which the report acknowledges has created confusion. The proposed draft policy pulls together all of the rules into the one policy and mobile shop operators at the pre-engagement meeting supported this proposal.

The draft policy also distinguishes between mobile shops trading as part of a council approved market or event and those trading independently. The draft policy proposes that council permission is given via two different approaches for each of these situations.

Council's event and market approval processes will give approval for the mobile shops trading as part of the event or market. Council's approval obtained by the event or market organiser will set out the conditions for mobile shops at the event or market.

A mobile shop not trading as part of an event or market will require a mobile shop licence and must follow the conditions set out in the draft policy, says the draft policy.

It's proposed the draft policy goes out for public consultation from Monday, June 20, until Friday, July 22.