Auckland Transport has since introduced new ‘Authorised Vehicles’ signage.
“After some customer insights analysis, the signs were changed on 24 March 2024,” Auckland Transport programme policy director Graeme Gunthorp told Newshub.
“We are always looking at ways to optimize signage. We don’t want to see people getting fined but do need to enforce the EVA.”
Stacey Lemmen, who lives about an hour from central Auckland in Wellsford, accidentally drove on the banned stretch of Queen St while she was in the city for the Pink concert on 8 March.
“For me, that just seems like a real money trap. You know, it’s like, you get stuck here, tough luck for you, pay the money,” she told Newshub.
She was one of the tens of thousands who have paid a $150 fine.
“I jumped on Google and checked it all out and saw your article and read that and I was like, ‘I’m not the only one that never knew it was there’.”
After a nine-month warning period ending March 2023, the number of fines skyrocketed, reaching a high of more than 9147 in July last year. It’s now trending down, but there were still over 3251 fines issued in April alone.