In a literal case of whether a zebra can change its stripes, a strip of yellow lines on Sandringham Rd have gone from yellow, to black, and back to yellow.

Auckland Transport (AT) was notified last Friday that the broken yellow lines outside popular Indian takeaway Paradise had been painted over in black.

After a failed trip to repaint them that day - because of parked cars - contractors returned to the site early this morning; returning the no stopping, waiting, or parking lines back to their rightful colour.

AT spokesman Mark Hannan said occasionally people get frustrated, take the law into their own hands and paint out yellow lines.

Broken yellow lines outside Paradise takeaway were painted over in black. Photo / Lincoln Tan

"The lines are there for a reason, in the case of Sandringham Rd so that drivers can see people using the pedestrian crossing in the shopping centre," he said.

Hannan said normally the council would re-paint the lines and leave it at that.

"It is very difficult to know who is responsible for the vandalism but we will have a quiet word to people nearby reminding them that the yellow lines are there for a reason.

"We would only take the matter further if there continued to be a problem and we had a good idea who was responsible," he said.

• Yellow lines painted over outside popular restaurant

In a Herald article yesterday, the restaurant owners denied any knowledge of who was behind the act, but said they would welcome a move to have the yellow lines painted back.

However, customers welcomed the change - which made it easier to collect takeaways.

Broken yellow lines outside Paradise takeaway were painted over in black. Photo / Lincoln Tan

Paul Patel, a regular customer, said he was pleased to be able to park just outside the takeaway.

"I used to have to park across the street and it's really inconvenient when you've got to carry tubs of curries," Patel said.

"Is it really that someone has painted over the yellow lines? I thought it's just the council finally having some common sense."

But Mark Lloyd, who posted a comment on the Sandringham Community Facebook page, said parking there made the pedestrian crossing "even more hazardous than normal".

Irfan Kabir, the takeaway's restaurant manager, said he first noticed the lines being covered up by black paint about two weeks ago.

"I thought it was the council doing it, so I didn't question it too much," Kabir said.

Paradise owner Rafi Mohammed said customers had constantly complained about getting fined for parking or even stopping just to collect their takeaways.

AT's website states the penalty for parking on a broken yellow line is a $60 fine.

Mohammed said: "I always tell them I have control over what happens in my restaurant, but I don't have control over what happens on the street."

He said he welcomed AT's plan to have the broken yellow lines repainted.

"I don't like cars parking in front of the shop, because it blocks our frontage and affects our business."