On Sunday April 15 on Papamoa Beach road just past Pacific Ave on the Beach side I saw an empty logging truck with its trailer on its back parked on the grass berm.
As I came up to it I noticed a city council parking warden in a city council car pull up and park on the grass berm in front of the truck, the driver got out of his car and walking towards the truck, took a photo of the vehicle, he then walked to the back of the truck then came back pulled out a slip of paper from hand held computer and placed it on the window of the truck.
As the council employee went back towards his car I took a photo of the council car and the driver. The point that I would like to make is this.
The truck driver took in my opinion the safe option by parking his vehicle on the grass berm rather than on the road which could have been a danger to vehicles passing. If what he did was against council bylaws then the council employee who also parked on the grass berm in front of the truck was is my opinion just as guilty of the same offence and I am sure a sharp lawyer would confirm this if the ticket is challenged in court.
Is Tauranga City Council employing staff to drive around on Sundays to collect revenue from hard working citizens or is it contracting out this role on an incentive based contract, whatever it is in my opinion you cannot legally park up on a street berm to issue a ticket when you have committed the same offence yourself. Or can you!

Denny Enright, Papamoa

TCC responds:

There were no male Parking Officers working on Sunday 15 April and no tickets issued to a truck and trailer at Papamoa.
Assuming the complainant means Pacific View Road - On Saturday 14 April there was a complaint of truck (no trailer) parked right across the footpath on Papamoa Beach Road.
The Officer parked legally in front of the truck i.e. on the berm, not over the footpath and a ticket was issued.
There are no incentive based contracts for parking enforcement.
John Payne, Acting Group Manager: Customer & Environmental Services, Tauranga City Council.