Hutt City Council is introducing the latest licence plate recognition technology from 1 October 2024, to improve fair access to parking across Lower Hutt.
The Aero Ranger camera kit is attached to the windows of one of Hutt City Council’s four parking enforcement vehicles for a six-month trial.
The technology will make parking enforcement more efficient and much fairer for those who do the right thing by paying for parking where required and not overstaying time-limited spaces.
The technology will also be able to map parking occupancy and demand, which will support the future development of parking management plans in local areas.
The camera records information about vehicles and visible parking signage as it drives around, then on its return can register whether a car should have moved or whether it has paid for the parking. The information is sent back to Council and a staff member will review it before sending a ticket by mail.
The technology can also check that Warrants of Fitness and car registrations are current and identify vehicles that have been registered as stolen.
Budget for the technology was approved as part of Council’s 2024 Long-term Plan.
Licence place recognition vehicles are already operating in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Wellington.
The car cameras will operate within the requirements of the Privacy Act and faces will be blurred in any images shared with drivers who request details of the infringement. Council will use images only for evidence gathering, enforcement and for collecting data about demand for parking spaces.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Improved efficiency through embracing modern technology
- Improved Health and Safety for Council officers
- Cost effectiveness
The camera captures photographic information about vehicles and visible parking signage as it drives around, then on its return it can register whether a car should have moved. The information is sent back to Council and a staff member will review it before sending a ticket by mail.
The LPR technology will also be able to determine which vehicles have paid for their park and which haven’t. The technology can also access the NZTA database to determine which cars have up to date WOFs and REGOs, and it can also identify vehicles which have been registered as stolen.
The LPR technology uses AI to assess the information that the camera picks up and generate “potential” breaches for enforcement. This AI tool is about 95% accurate and all potential breaches are checked by a human before a ticket is issued.
You have the right to appeal any ticket you receive and view the associated evidence.
Parking evidence is legally required to be stored for a minimum of 1 year. All the storage and security information can be found here.
AI will assess the information that the camera picks up and generate “potential” breaches for enforcement. These “potential” breaches will then be reviewed by an officer, to ensure accuracy, before a ticket is generated and mailed to the vehicle owner.
Aero Ranger is an Australian company. The cameras do not record videos. The images will only be accessible to Hutt City Council's Parking Services staff.
Yes, by being more efficient in the way wardens cover a large area. Revenue funds roading maintenance and development.
No. The decision to embrace this technology was partially driven by the LTP decision to expand paid parking to seven days a week and the decision to expand paid parking into Petone. This has placed extra expectations on the already limited number of wardens. The intention is that the LPR technology will assist the current staff to meet these new expectations.