Prospect residents given parking fines for being in Blackfriars school traffic

Residents have lashed out at a council and its trigger-happy parking inspectors after a man was issued a parking fine while sitting in traffic.

Residents of a leafy inner-northern suburb have lashed out at their council after a man was issued a parking fine while he was sitting in traffic.

A Prospect man, who has chosen not to be named, said he was in a queue of cars on Highbury St at Prospect when a trigger-happy parking inspector snapped a photo of his car.

Days later, to his wife’s and his surprise, a $70 parking fine showed up at his house.

The fine was one of 12 expiations issued on Highbury St since the start of November, and the only one so far to be contested.

The man’s wife said he was driving in the car near Blackfriars Priory School, an area known for an intense build up of traffic at school pick-up time, when it happened.

The photo taken of a Prospect family's car that resulted in a ticket. They were driving it at the time. Picture: Supplied

Highbury St, Prospect, at school pick-up. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Feeling harshly done by, the couple challenged the fine with the council only to be rebuked despite the evidentiary photo showing her and her husband in the car.

“We are all aware there are traffic issues in this area, but being in a queue is not parked as cars slowly advance and we were as near as practical to the kerb,” she said.

“We (challenged it), but the reason for rejection of our challenge was not clear and they still determined we were parked while in the queue.

“(The council) obviously have different idea of parking.”

Another woman said on Facebook the “exact” thing had happened to her.

Traffic on the street has long been an issue with locals regularly complaining about school peak-hour wreaking havoc.

Blackfriars Priory School. Picture: AAP Image/MATT LOXTON

At those times the 8.5m-wide street quickly fills with parents parking on either side of the street while a snaking line of cars piles up as the drivers navigate their way to the front gates.

A video of the street at pick-up time shows congestion so severe the road virtually becomes one-way, with cars unable to squeeze past those in the line-up to enter the school.

Resident Ali Bussey pleaded with the council and Blackfriars Priory School, which is on the street, for assistance – and called out for parents and caregivers to consider the street’s homeowners.

“The complete disregard for residents or other vehicles travelling on Highbury Street at school pick-up and drop-off is getting beyond a joke,” she said.

“I hope there is never an emergency situation … absolute disgrace.”

The council in October last year laid out a schedule for an “integrated transport plan” aimed at, in part, investigating and fixing traffic issues in the area.

At a council meeting, the plan was slated to be presented to elected members in February 2023 and expected to be finished by the end of September 2024.

A budget of $75,000 was set aside to “assess the road network conditions” among other upgrades.

Council chief executive Chris White said the transport plan would include a “review of operation of school zones”.

Mr White said parking fines in general were dealt with by the council on the basis they could be appealed twice before being referred to the courts to be contested.

“Each such request for review is considered on its merits, and council is confident these processes permit sufficient scope to review expiations,” he said.

Mr White said the council received “many complaints and inquiries” about parking and traffic around schools and the council was “committed” to making those areas safe.

A spokeswoman for Blackfriars Priory said the school regularly communicated with parents and caregivers in regards to traffic management around the school.