Charles Sturt Council calls for more powers to tackle parking issues caused by big vehicles

A western suburbs council is pushing for a review of parking laws as mounting issues spark street-level frustration.

Trailers, boats and other large vehicles are affecting driveway access, visibility and on‐street parking in Adelaide’s west, prompting calls for a review of the current parking rules.

Charles Sturt Council last week resolved to write to Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis, seeking a review of laws that would allow council to enforce long term parking controls on vehicles parked on council roads.

Councillor Peter Ppiros, who put up the motion, and said he had received ongoing complaints about long‐term parking of vehicles, including trailers, boats, and caravans, on council‐managed streets within his ward.

But council said it’s currently limited in its response.

Under current Australian Road Rules, vehicles longer than 7.5 metres or heavier than 4.5 tonnes cannot be parked in a built‐up area for more than one hour —with some exceptions.

Charles Sturt Council is calling for changes to parking rules . Picture: The Northern Star Archives

Engaged Community general manager Kristie Johnson said council has issued 111 expiations, including cautions, for oversized, heavy or long vehicles parked on the road for longer than 1 hour over the past year.

Morley Road in Seaton as well as the suburbs of Henley Beach and Findon had the largest number of expiations during this period.

“Council has proposed to write to the Transport Minister to seek a review of the relevant legislation to empower councils to enforce and manage long-term parking and the storage of vehicles such as caravans and trailers on public roads where no other parking restrictions apply,” Ms Johnson said.

Staff, in council documents, said “our streets are not intended for the long‐term storage of personal items such as caravans and trailers”.

“We regularly receive complaints from the community about these vehicles impacting traffic lane width, driveway access, visibility, and the availability of on‐street parking,” staff said.

“At present, our options to respond are limited, so we would support an initiative that enables us to better manage this issue.”

An LGA spokesperson said the association would welcome a broader conversation with the State Government about whether the current rules work.

“Extended parking of vehicles with caravans or trailers on suburban streets can reduce visibility, block driveways and take up space in built-up areas where on-street parking is already tight,” the spokesperson said.

“As our suburbs and lifestyles change, the laws need to keep pace.

“The Malinauskas Government has previously worked with the sector on planning reforms to ease street congestion – we see this as part of that same conversation”.

Last year, members of the Local Government Association SA agreed to lobby planning authorities to make garages in new homes bigger to address issues around on-street parking.

In a statement to The Advertiser, Mr Koutsantonis said he “will consider any request from any council” and looked forward to seeing the proposal.