Fringe attendee slams Adelaide City Council for ‘revenue raising’ over fee notices handed out on Bartels Rd

A festival attendee has accused the council of “going crazy with greed” after handing drivers fee notices next to a busy Fringe venue – but was it fair? Have your say.

A Fringe attendee has slammed the council for “revenue raising” along Bartels Rd, next to Gluttony. Picture: Matt Loxton

A Fringe-goer has slammed the Adelaide City Council for “revenue raising madness” during the festival season after $5000 in parking fee notices was handed out next to Gluttony in the space of 15 minutes.

The festival attendee was one of at least 17 drivers stung by $296 fee notices along Bartels Rd between 6.30pm and 6.45pm on Thursday evening.

“The Adelaide City Council, who proudly claim to be a UNESCO city of music, goes crazy with greed,” he said.

“They say they want to support the arts but then they send their sticker lickers to go book every car on Bartels Rd while the good people of Adelaide are supporting the arts and attending the Fringe Festival.”

A festivalgoer has slammed the council for "revenue raising" after more than a dozen $300 fee notices were handed out.

The area becomes a bus zone between 4pm and 7pm, according to signage. Picture: Google Maps

The man claimed “poor signage” to indicate the area was a bus zone was to blame for upwards of 20 vehicles getting slapped with more than $5000 in notices.

“At $296 a fine, this is abhorrent from the council … they should be incentivising attendance for the arts, not penalising attendance of the arts,” they said.

Five permanent signs mark the stretch of road as a bus zone between the hours of 4pm and 7pm, with no changes to parking restrictions during Fringe season.

City of Adelaide Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith responded to the driver’s concerns, encouraging patrons to use Bartels Rd for parking “when appropriate” outside of peak times.

“This specific area of Bartels Road is a bus lane from 4pm-7pm Monday to Friday to support traffic flow during peak times,” she said.

“There’s free parking available along this stretch after 7pm weekdays and all day on the weekend, so we encourage Fringe patrons to use the area when appropriate.”

The Adelaide Economic Development Agency’s website suggests attendees use one of the CBD’s paid UPark locations or public transport.