Sunshine Coast parking fines 2023 break down: 27,000 infringements issued
The Sunshine Coast Council has revealed drivers across the region forked out millions in parking fines in 2023. This is where people are being hit the most.
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Sunshine Coast motorists forked out more than $2m worth of parking fines in 2023, with drivers overstaying in time-limited parks revealed as the worst offenders.
More than 27,000 parking infringements were handed out by the Sunshine Coast Council in 2023, along with 2505 cautions.
A council spokesman said $2,257,876 worth of parking fines were handed out in 2023.
The most common offence were people parking longer than indicated. This misdemeanour attracts a $77 fine.
Maroochydore, Mooloolaba, Birtinya, Caloundra, Nambour and Maleny all have marked parking bays within a time limit. Birtinya and Caloundra are the only two of these suburbs with metered parking also.
The next most common offence was drivers stopping on a road with a yellow edge line and then stopping where there is a no stopping sign, both of which attract a $116 fine.
The spokesman said parking is regulated by council to ensure everyone’s safety.
“Timed parking regulation encourages vehicle turnover to provide fair and equitable access to town centres, destinations and tourism locations,” he said.
The council’s ParkSmart program, a hybrid vehicle fitted with computer software and technology, was introduced in 2022 to “encourage vehicle turnover” and in turn make car parks more readily available across the region.
The spokesman said the program also reduces the risk of verbal and physical abuse towards parking officers.
Parking infringement notices have long been a topic of conversation on the coast, after several disgruntled residents reached out to this publication with stories of how they were slapped with a $77 parking fine at various McDonald’s stores in 2022.
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