Auckland’s most confusing road wracks up over $5 million in fines

What could be Auckland’s most confusing stretch of road has wracked up over $5 million from fines issued to motorists since it was established in 2022.

If you’ve driven along Queen Street lately, you may have come across the confusing 120 metre-long ‘Essential Vehicle Area’ (EVA) between the Civic Theatre and Aotea Square that only allows buses, motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, goods vehicles, and emergency vehicles to pass through it.

Private vehicles are forbidden from entering the zone at all times, but if they do, the driver is slapped with a $150 fine.

A new report from Newshub shows that approximately $5.6 million in fines have been collected by Auckland Transport (AT) from the EVA between July 2022 and November 2023.

However, only 37,912 fines have been paid out of 80,890 issued. With that being said, Auckland Transport is due to receive an additional $6.4 million in revenue from the remaining unpaid infringements.

If you aren’t aware of the ‘GV Lane’, or goods vehicle lane, then you aren’t alone as Newshub reports that many Aucklanders don’t think that signage is clear enough for motorists. The width of the road is also painted green, similar to a traditional bus lane.

When the EVA was first put into use between 5 July 2022 and 19 March 2023, it would only issue warnings for private vehicles that drove through it for the first time. In that time, 102,966 drivers were sent notices in the mail but weren’t charged a fine.

The zone was initially advertised locally with bus stop signage, on coffee cups, and with an informative YouTube video, but many motorists still seem to be unaware of what it is.