Kirribilli Market makes call parking meter reprieve after council rangers fine visitors, stallholders

A Sydney council is facing calls to offer a parking fine reprieve amid claims rangers are targeting the event as a way of making quick and easy revenue.

Stallholders of a popular Sydney market are calling on a council for a parking meter reprieve over concerns that a spike in reports of rangers issuing parking fines is turning shoppers away from the weekly events.

Kirribilli Markets is at the centre of a parking meter battle as residents issue a plea for North Sydney Council to offer “parking leniency” for stallholders and visitors to ensure the continued viability of the markets.

Concerns over parking fines have been heightened after the council rolled out a $2m cashless parking meter system which has left some motorists having to pay hefty 8.5 per surcharges to pay for a ticket via an app.

The system, which uses QR codes, has also caused confusion – particularly for older residents who have reports of some motorists receiving fines after being unable to decipher the machines.

Kirribilli Markets general manager Jo Harvey said parking stress on market days were compounded by a lack of free parking spaces in the area, with motorists having to pay between $6.90 and $8.70 an hour for a space.

The markets have about 200 stallholders.

“We have 200 stallholders on any given day and many of them tend to come early in the morning and unload their car and then have to find parking somewhere and walk back to the market and then repeat the process at the end of the day.

“For visitors who get fined, it doesn’t make it a very pleasant experience when at the end of the market they realise they’ve been fined.

“Parking is a challenge in the area, even for locals, but there should be a leniency during the market hours because it’s such an important event for the community.”

The new cashless parking meters rolled out in the North Sydney area.

The markets bring large crowds to the lower north shore suburb.

Ms Harvey said while some visitors used trains or public transport to attend the markets, multiple weeks of track work on weekends meant many have had no choice but to drive there.

Jillian Christie, who chairs the suburb’s resident community group, said she believed North Sydney Council was targeting the market as a way of making easy revenue.

“At other markets such as North Sydney Markets you don’t see rangers and that same leniency should be offered to the markets because we want the markets to thrive,” she said.

“It’s very expensive to park in the area and the new meters have added to the confusion because no one understands the system and are then getting fined.

“It’s sad to see stallholders who put in eight hour day getting booked.”

Stallholders and visitors are calling on parking leniency.

A North Sydney Council spokeswoman said rangers “help to ensure safe and fair access to parking spaces for residents and visitors”.

“Ranger presence encourages people to return parking spaces on time, allowing more shoppers the chance to visit the markets,” she said.

“If rangers observe illegal or unsafe parking, whether during an event or not, they will equitably issue a penalty notice in line with the road rules.

“Council acknowledges the challenges of finding parking on busy market days, when demand for on-street parking is very high. To avoid this, we encourage people to use public transport to travel to the markets if they can.”

NSW Government figures show North Sydney Council has raked in $2.8m on parking fines in the four months after the cashless machines were installed in July this year. This is $700,000 more than in the same period the previous year.

The council’s 2024-25 budget shows it is expecting to generate $9m from parking and ranger services this financial year.

The council says the 8.5 per cent surcharge was associated with additional services provided by Orikan through its app and meters.

Originally published as Kirribilli Market makes call parking meter reprieve after council rangers fine visitors, stallholders