26 May 2025
File Ref: IRC-8389
Jeff
[FYI request #30865 email]
Tēnā koe Jeff,
Thank you for your email dated 30 April 2025 to Te Kaunihera o Pōneke | Wellington City Council (the
Council) requesting the following information:
1. Wellington City Council’s policy regarding the enforcement of vehicles obstructing private
driveways, including the circumstances under which a vehicle may be towed.
In the Council’s reply, could you please also advise:
2. What constitutes a driveway obstruction under current bylaws or policy.
3. What evidence is required for a parking enforcement officer to authorise towing.
4. Who may lawfully request or initiate the towing of a vehicle obstructing a driveway.
5. Whether the presence of signage or road markings is necessary for enforcement.
Your request has been considered under the Local Government Of icial Information and Meetings Act
1987 (LGOIMA).
Questions 1 and 2 –
Wel ington City Council’s policy regarding the enforcement of vehicles
obstructing private driveways, including the circumstances under which a vehicle may be towed.
What constitutes a driveway obstruction under current bylaws or policy.
The Council enforces vehicle entryway offences (VEO’s) as provided for by rule 6.9 of
the Land
Transport (Road User Rule) 2004. Rule 6.9:
(1) A driver or person in charge of a vehicle must not stop, stand, or park the vehicle so as to
obstruct entry to or exit from any driveway.
(2) For the purposes of this clause, a vehicle parked alongside any part of a kerb crossing
provided for a driveway or within 1 m of the prolongation of the side of a driveway must be
regarded as obstructing entry or exit.
The Council does not have a specific policy addressing this matter and therefore this part of your
request has been refused under section 17(g) of the LGOIMA because the requested information is
not held.
Question 3 –
What evidence is required for a parking enforcement officer to authorise towing.
Parking officers are trained to measure and mark all relevant distances, which include the marked
prolongation lines and the amount the vehicle is parked within the one metre of prolongation. Before
issuing an infringement, parking officers gather photographic evidence of the offence which includes:
• Front of vehicle on road with licence plate visible
• License label
• Al marked measurements
• Full environment shot including vehicle, obstructed entranceway/driveway, and markings.
Towing for this offence is considered if the offending vehicle is restricting usage or access to the
driveway or if the offending vehicle’s position wil force other vehicles to manoeuvre unsafely in order
to gain access to the driveway.
Question 4 –
Who may lawfully request or initiate the towing of a vehicle obstructing a driveway.
Parking Of icers are authorised under secti
on 128E of the Land Transport Act 1998 to enforce the
provisions of any stationary vehicle offence or special vehicle lane offence, and to enter, or authorise
another person to enter, the vehicle for the purpose of moving it or preparing it for movement; to any
place where it does not constitute a traffic hazard.
Parking Of icers hold a level of discretionary power as advised under Land Transport Act 1998. The
powers are permissive (may) and not mandatory (must) and on this basis our Parking Of icers can
apply some level of discretion in terms of whether they issue a ticket or warning, and whether they
request a vehicle to be towed.
Question 5 –
Whether the presence of signage or road markings is necessary for enforcement.
No signage or road markings are required to enforce this offence.
You have the right, by way of complaint under section 28(1) of the LGOIMA, to request an
investigation and review of the Council’s decision to withhold information by the Ombudsman.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
If you require further information, please contact
[Wellington City Council request email].
Nāku noa, nā
Ol ie Marchant
Senior Advisor
Of icial Information & Privacy
Wellington City Council
Wel ington City Council | 2 of 2
