Queenstown delivery driver pinged for 4am bread drop-offs

A former full-time Queenstown delivery driver says there aren't enough loading zones in the central business district for the amount of hospitality outlets and their associated deliveries.

Ben Love, who used to deliver bread to cafes as a bakery employee until the end of last year before moving to Christchurch, says he racked up three parking tickets right before he left Queenstown last year.

He says he got these fines between the hours of 2am and 4am, when there weren't many cars around, and he was stopping in loading zones to drop off bread.

Two of the tickets were for parking outside Marmolada Cafe on Camp Street, where his van had slightly crossed over into the bus zone.

But Mr Loves notes it was at least two hours before buses started running for the day and deliveries always took less than ten minutes. 

Another ticket was for stopping on Beach Street to unload a delivery. Ironically, in the same spot that taxi cabs would sit for long periods of time last year, informally using the public space as a taxi stand.

"There's definitely not enough delivery zones for all the drivers," Mr Love says.

In his experience, it felt like Cougar Security, who are contracted by Queenstown Lakes District Council to hand out the tickets, would just sit and review CCTV footage "ping anyone who is breaking the law...any illegal zone they get caught in, even for a minute".

Another Queenstown business owner, who asked to remain anonymous, says one of his drivers recently drove around the CBD 11 times looking for a park before he found one. 

He says this happened in the middle of the day, and when drivers are spending that much time looking for a park, it costs the business a significant amount more money. 

This business owner also spoke to Crux last week about receiving $1,000 of parking tickets in Cow Lane.

The Cow restaurant owner Malcolm Price says he's gotten eight fines since April for parking on Cow Lane for a few minutes to drop off supplies outside his business, and when The Cow is busy they'll need to drop off goods like this every morning.

Two of the tickets were given within one minute of each other, at 12.11pm and 12.12pm.

However, other businesses have told Crux they're not experiencing any issues, with Captains Restaurant's Jenny Goulding saying almost all of their deliveries are before 10am and suppliers park up at Searle Lane. 

While Balls and Bangles owner Tess Sloan says it's no worries for her drivers, who also come early in the morning and use two loading zone parks outside the Shotover Street shop while making deliveries. 

Read more: Queenstown business: $1,000 of Cow Lane parking fines 'kills us'