Parking fines in Salisbury and Playford bag councils $500,000

PLAYFORD and Salisbury councils are on track to reap half a million dollars after traffic inspectors pinged drivers with parking fines this financial year

Adelaide City Councillor David Slama is calling for parking inspectors to undergo etiquette training to improve their manners. David at a confusing street parking sign in Union St Adelaide. Picture Campbell Brodie.

LOCAL councils are on track to reap half a million dollars in parking fines this financial year. Playford and Salisbury councils collected about $369,000 in parking fines across the districts in the past nine months, with figures forecast to tip $492,000 if patterns continue on the same track.

The councils have respectively dished out 2643 and 2976 fines to motorists in 2015/16.

The parking fines were worth between $46 and $349 each, depending on the type of offence, raking in about $369,000 in revenue based on the minimum infringement cost.

It compares to 3982 and 3569 fines respectively issued in 2014/15, worth a minimum $574,000.

Playford was not able to provide a breakdown of the suburbs where the highest number of fines were being issued, saying figures were instead linked to the types of areas council officers patrolled, such as school zones, shopping centres and health precincts.

Mayor Glenn Docherty said parking restrictions were necessary to “ensure the safety and convenience of pedestrians and motorists” within the community.

“Playford Council is also engaged by privately owned shopping centres to ensure that carpark facilities are used by patrons to those shopping centres,” he said.

Salisbury indicated most fines were dished out in Salisbury City Centre and at Mawson Lakes, which had the highest number of restricted car parking spaces available.

Mayor Gillian Aldridge said the restrictions created a level playing field.

“Parking time restrictions are designed to ensure fair use of parking areas and to ensure our residents and visitors have access to and from our local businesses and services,” she said.

“When we decide to implement a time restriction, it usually involves either consultation with residents and businesses in the surrounding area or the restrictions are needed to improve traffic and pedestrian movements or safety, such as on busy roads or around schools.

“I think we are very lucky in Salisbury that we have plenty of parking spaces in our major centres and most local business owners, residents and visitors don’t need to pay to park.”