Window washers, seen here at Ponsonby Rd, have not been deterred by Auckland Council's crackdown.

Auckland Council says its crackdown on window washers has failed to curb the "disturbing increase" of teenagers washing cars at busy intersections.

The council launched a joint operation with police in June 2015 to prosecute window washers following complaints they were intimidating and harassing motorists for money.

But the council's head of bylaws and compliance Max Wilde said it's so far had little impact in deterring washers.

"There's been no discernible decrease despite the enormous focus we've put on it," he said.

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And he added: "we have noticed anecdotally a disturbing increase in the number of underage window washers."

Wilde said most washers were adults although there was a noticeable trend of teenagers setting up on busy roads, while a police operation in Otara, south Auckland, recorded some as young as 11.

The council has prosecuted 57 window washers for breaching public nuisance bylaws since starting its crackdown last June, Wilde said.

He said most of those people were handed fines in court, of between $200 and $400, or were due to face court.

However it was much harder to prosecute youth, he said.

"It's frustrating. We're putting in additional effort. Unfortunately we've still got these issues, particularly with underage people running around intersections."

'RUSSIAN ROULETTE'

Counties Manakau Police district prevention manager Dave Glossop said the presence of window washers on busy roads was a disaster waiting to happen.

"One of these days somebody is going to get really badly hurt. You've got people running in and out of traffic. It's Russian roulette. It's stupidity."

He said the council's approach had failed to stop window washers because so many were willing to risk fines in order to keep earning money.

"It's not been the deterrent they (the council) were hoping it would be," he said.

"Somebody will be charged with breach of the bylaw but they're back out there doing it 10 minutes later."

Glossop said washers were also turning on each other and fighting over the best intersections.

"The income generated from the window washing area is creating a bit of a turf war mentality. Individuals don't want to share potential profits. So there are concerns with a few assaults that have occurred."

He said the emphasis needed to be on getting people to not pay window washers: "that's the only way to really tackle this issue, to remove the incentive."

"I mean seriously, if we stopped giving them money they'd be gone the next day."

Manukau Central Business Association general manager Kerry Burridge said there were traffic lights in south Auckland where there were "constant issues" of people feeling scared or threatened by window washers.

"It's definitely just as bad (as last year)," she said.

She said there were often teenagers setting up at traffic lights or sometimes even younger children during the school holidays.

The issues of harassment started at the intersections and sometimes spilled over into violence and verbal threats at nearby shops, she said.

"We get gangs of these youths then running through. It's not good.

"It usually develops when they (drivers) say no they don't want their windscreen washed and get cross. It can dissolve into an assault."

Burridge said she was in favour of tougher penalties against window washers or alternative measures such as fining drivers for paying the washers.

IS WINDOW WASHING ILLEGAL?

Technically it's not against the law.

Window washing falls under the council's Public Safety and Nuisance Bylaws and is enforced by council staff who set up video cameras to monitor "hotspot" intersections from their parked cars.

Police are only called to intervene for a criminal matter, such as an assault.

CHRISTCHURCH SOLUTION?

The Christchurch City Council voted last October to give police the authority to seize windscreen washers' equipment and prosecute them under the council's public places bylaw.

It made the police the lead agency and meant washers faced a maximum $20,000 penalty and conviction.

Councillor David East said since the change there had been an instant reduction in window washers.

"One of the intersections where there was a lot of grief and where there was alleged gang links has effectively been shut down."

That was because police officers had more "clout" than council staff, he said.

Wilde said he wasn't convinced the approach would deter washers in Auckland.

"One of the key learnings is that a purely regulatory approach is not going to resolve the matter.

"Enforcement measures are only part of the solution. What we really need is the motoring public to stop giving these individuals money."