Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan has distributed 100 leaflets and chalked many car tyres in his role of parking warden over the past few weeks.

Speaking to his mayor’s report at the Vincent Community Board this week, Mayor Tim said he started back at work on January 3 and has made eight trips out on the streets, to see for himself the parking issues around Alexandra.

Cromwell Community Board member Bob Scott has been doing the same thing in his town.

As a parking warden ambassador, Tim joked that he’d been referred to by many other names as he did his rounds, noting vehicles that were parking all day outside businesses.

Before the Central Otago District Council undertakes the expense, or brought in enforcement, staff needed to know the extent of the problem, which areas exactly were the worst and whether education was a better tool for dealing with it.

Mayor Tim said it was disappointing to see The Warehouse carpark in lower Tarbert St was completely empty and the main street full of cars - some for hours on end.

“So it really is the habits of people. And, whether the leaflets will change those habits, I don’t know,” he said.

It was positive to note that business owners had started asking their staff to park elsewhere - one block further was not a big deal, he said.

Mayor Tim will continue his campaign until the end of the month, and he said it was encouraging to receive feedback from some business owners, “that they think it is making a difference.”