From today, the fine for illegally parking in a space reserved for disability permit holders has jumped from $40 to $150, after Government changes to the Land Transport (Road User) Amendment Rule.
The Dunedin City Council has also begun a "zero tolerance" campaign against people stopping on bus stops, and offending drivers will not be given the chance to move.
Instead, they will be fined immediately.
Council development services manager Kevin Thompson said yesterday the Government set the cost of fines nationwide, while councils set parking fees.
Mr Thompson said the city's 33 mobility parks were misused and, with the rise in fines, officers would target the problem.
"We will be issuing tickets."
The fines did not extend to mobility parks on private property, such as supermarkets, as the council had no jurisdiction in those areas.
CCS Disability Action regional manager Paul Martin applauded the heavier fine, something his organisation had lobbied for.
"We're certainly pleased with the increase."
Research had shown the biggest problem for illegal mobility parking was people who used them "just for two minutes", but that caused significant problems for people who really needed them.
In some areas, malls and supermarkets had agreements with clamping companies to clamp cars, without permits, that parked in mobility parks, Mr Martin said.
While he was not aware of any plans, as such agreements were the responsibility of landowners, he knew the clamping company was interested in coming south.
Mr Thompson said the campaign against illegal parking on bus stops was in response to concerns from the Otago Regional Council.
There had been cases where buses had been unable to stop because of cars parked on bus stops, and had to carry on without picking up passengers, he said.
Parking services team leader Daphne Griffen said officers had issued 160 tickets to people parking on bus stops in the first two weeks of May, and the zero tolerance of the infringement would continue.
"We're going to keep doing that.
''They [bus stops] should be kept free."
In the past, officers had told people to move, but that would no longer be the case.
Drivers would be handed tickets immediately or, if they drove away, a ticket would be sent to them.
