Tour operators parking buses on Central Dunedin car parks are blocking access to his business and to a fire hydrant, a cafe owner says.
But the Dunedin City Council says the tour guides are operating within the law as long as the driver stays with the bus.
Black Dog Cafe Bar & Restaurant co-owner Len Jelley said he was ‘‘frustrated'' by tour buses parking outside his cafe in Princes St.
The buses were loading and unloading tourists staying at Scenic Hotel Dunedin City in Princes St.
The hotel had two bus stops, one in Princes St and one in Dowling St, but the buses stopped on the pay-and-display car parks.
The footpath outside his cafe was often cluttered with baggage and scores of tourists, many smoking cigarettes, waiting to get on the bus.
The buses blocked the car parks outside the cafe, resulting in customers having nowhere to stop.‘‘So they don't.''He asked the council to have more parking enforcement officers patrolling the area during the cafe operating hours of 8am-11pm.
Hotel general manager Greg Hewland said he asked the tour operators to use the two bus parks outside the hotel.‘‘If they park elsewhere, they need to face the consequences,'' Mr Hewland said.
Council parking enforcement team leader Daphne Griffen said buses were allowed to park over multiple pay-and-display car parks at any time.
‘‘It isn't illegal ... any vehicle can park on a pay-and-display.''
Between 9am and 6pm, the driver had to pay for the occupied space.
A bus could park over a fire hydrant if the driver stayed with the vehicle and could move it in an emergency.
If an unattended bus was parked over a fire hydrant then a ticket would be issued, Mrs Griffen said.
