A Tauranga man could be before the courts after discovering he owes $1800 worth of Links Avenue fines which have been billed to the wrong address.

Ken Carter is a 73-year-old boat builder who was met with a nasty surprise when opening his PO Box this week.

A letter told him he was to fill out Ministry of Justice documents for not paying ten $180 fines he never received.

'I was in absolute disbelief,” he says.

Ken often leaves his home to work on a boat building project for himself on Portside Drive.

He has been driving through Links Avenue to get there, and claims he was unaware of one of Tauranga's most talked about and controversial roads changing to a bus lane.

'I find the signage very unclear. People aren't going to be looking up when they're on a busy roundabout. Plenty of people drive through and simply don't see it.”

Ken now has to contact the court to explain his situation, who will ultimately decide whether his $1800 in fines can be withdrawn.

A photo of how Links Avenue looked when Ken drove through, and was only open to buses in 2022. Photo: John Borren/SunLive.

Despite clear signage pointing out the bus lane, more than 31,813 of the $150 fines have been issued after illegally using the road since April 11, 2022, costing motorists $4.77 million in total.

When the trial began last year, $1.2 million in fines were issued in the first two weeks.

Ken, like many of the drivers fined, says he would have stopped using the road after being billed the first time.

The problem is, Ken says he had no clue he was collecting so many fines, after accidentally putting down the wrong address when registering his car to NZTA.

'It was a mistake on my behalf. But I do think what is happening now is unjustified. I didn't know they were being billed to the wrong address, and the person who got them most likely threw them out.”

Ken's fines listed on the Ministry of Justice documents range from June 14, 2022, to October 21, 2022. During this time, the stretch of road was permanently used as a bus only lane.

Nowadays, the road is open to regular traffic under restricted hours, and is open to buses only from 7am-10am and 2pm-6pm.

Tauranga City Council has issued 31,813 Links Avenue fines since it opened to buses only last year. Photo: Taylor Rice/SunLive.

SunLive took Ken back to Links Avenue on a weekday after 2pm, when the road is open to buses only.

In the span of our 20 minute interview, Ken spotted 'about three or four” cars use the road illegally, and even stopped one from getting a fine.

'It just shows the signs are not clear at all,” says Ken.

Ken claims a person could 'stretch their hands” between his PO Box and the one his fines were delivered to, and it isn't fair his bills have gone to court.

Tauranga City Council regulation monitoring team leader Stuart Goodman says it's a 'difficult situation”.

Tauranga City Council says Ken's address was registered incorrectly on Motochek. Photo: File/SunLive.

'We know upsetting and frustrating this has been for him. Unfortunately when we issue fines the information that we use comes directly from the Waka Kotahi national vehicle database, Motochek.”

'At the times the fines were incurred, June 14, 2022 - Oct 21, 2022 the customers address was registered incorrectly on Motochek.

'Because the fines were unpaid it was escalated to the courts. We have provided advice to the customer on how to contact the court and explain the situation so they can make a decision on whether the fines can be withdrawn.”

Ministry of Justice national service delivery group manager Treacey Baguley says if Ken can provide evidence of his infringement notices being posted to the wrong address, the court will consider the application 'on the evidence provided”.

'If the person owing the fines has any questions or concerns about their outstanding fines, they can email us at [email protected] or call on 0800 434 637.”