A Tauranga City Councillor is concerned about the employment of an extra parking warden coinciding with a new vehicle safety campaign to instantly fine city motorists $150 for bald tyres.

Catherine Stewart says the timing of TCC hiring the extra staff will happen as wardens begin checking cars parked throughout the city from Tuesday, as part of the TWIRL campaign.

'Our CEO did tell me they have employed another parking warden. That does concern me, and it's another wage.”

Catherine says the hiring 'flies in the wind” of the council's new city vision.

Yet to be released publicly – the vision is designed to make Tauranga City more user-friendly, by 'cutting the red tape”, says Catherine.

'We're not meant to be heading out with the main purpose of getting fines, so you have to wonder what the purpose behind it is.”

Catherine initially questioned the motive behind the new rule, with an initial TCC release stating wardens would be checking vehicles' windscreens, wipers and mirrors, indicators, rust and lights.

As result, Catherine sent an email to council CEO Garry Poole asking if it was an early April Fool's joke.

'When I saw the first email I just thought why would anyone want to come into the CBD, or go anywhere with the potential to be hit upon by over-officious parking wardens.

'In the meantime I've had clarity from staff it's only the tyres they'll be looking at. I have no problem with that, but if they're going out to look for the others I would not have supported it.”

TCC transportation manager Martin Parkes says parking wardens will be working alongside the New Zealand Transport Agency and New Zealand Police to raise driver awareness of their responsibly to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy.

Martin says tyres will be checked as part of wardens' normal business.

Wardens have received training from a national expert and will not be using a tyre tread depth gauge to determine whether a tyre is legal or not.

TCC will receive 50 per cent of revenue collected through fines. The remaining half will go to central government.

Martin says the $150 fine is set by central government.

'The law allows us to issue an infringement notice of $150 per defective tyre, however we will initially only be issuing one $150 fine no matter how many defective tyres are found on a single vehicle.”

The TWIRL campaign will also see police checking vehicles for rust, defected windscreen wipers, or cracked lights and mirrors.