Residents blindsided by parking blitz on Wānaka road

An Aubrey Road resident says last night she parked her vehicle in front of her house like she has for more than five years - except, this time, she was ticketed.

The resident says around dinner time she noticed a staff member of council contractor Cougar Security in the process of dishing out a fine.

And her vehicle was not their only target.

She says several of her neighbours ended up with similar tickets too.

"Everyone is very upset."

The issue in her case: parking on the grass verge attached to her home.

At the time of ticketing, she spoke to the parking enforcement officer, asking for advice on what specific law she was breaking, so she could understand.

She says, he couldn't tell her, and she doesn't think that is right.

"I think it is interesting that they are sending out people doing a job and they don't know why they're doing it."

This morning the woman has been on the phone to the council and says she'll be asking for a waiver, but she still is unsure of where she stands with her parking problem moving forward if that request is granted.

She regularly parks tucked up against her hedge and out of the way of vehicular and pedestrian traffic flows, and she thought that was the best thing to do.

"So many people in our area park like this, to be courteous to traffic on the road and QLDC vehicles - rubbish trucks."

She says she is aware of plenty of people who rent in her neighbourhood, and it means households are often juggling parking spaces for multiple vehicles, and often 'tradie' vehicles at that.

The council has come under fire in recent months for strong enforcement of parking rules but, until now, complaints to Crux from impacted members of the public have predominantly come from Queenstown.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council has previously told Crux it has a responsibility to monitor and enforce national legislation and the council's own Traffic and Parking Bylaw.

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Main image: A council parking blitz on Aubrey Road pings residents for parking on grass verges.