Why Council revoked 10,000 Brisbane parking fines

Almost 10,000 Brisbane motorists have successfully appealed more than a million dollars in parking fines. Here’s how they did it.

Transaction blunders, medical emergencies and parking inspectors’ errors are just some of the reasons that have allowed Brisbane residents to successfully challenge more than a million dollars in parking fines.

New figures obtained by The Courier-Mail reveal that more than $136,000 of parking fines issued in Brisbane last financial year were cancelled due to errors by parking officers.

Another 127 were cancelled after being issued to exempt vehicles such as police cars, fire trucks and ambulances.

They are just some examples of the 9354 parking fines, worth more than $1 million, that were rescinded across Brisbane last financial year.

Brisbane City Council parking ranger checks parked car in the Brisbane CBD. (AAP image, John Gass)

Council allows residents to challenge any parking fine they believe has been unfairly issued through a three-step appeal process.

“Council will investigate every appeal made … (and) if extenuating circumstances exist, Council works quickly to withdraw the fine,” a council spokesman said.

“For example, if a car breaks down, or there is a medical emergency we will work with the resident to ensure they do not have to pay an infringement.”

Brisbane City Council revoked more than 5800 parking fines for “reasonable doubt” after residents proved they had attempted to pay fines but did not fully complete the process. (AAP Image/Richard Walker)

The majority of fines – 5851, worth almost $613,000 – were revoked for reasonable doubt, where the customer proved they attempted payment but did not fully complete the process.

Another 1739 motorists managed to appeal some $203,000 of fines on compassionate grounds by providing a medical certificate or letter from a doctor about them or their family.

Brisbane City Council maintains a “zero tolerance” approach for illegal parking and issued $22.3 million in parking fines – equal to more $70,000 each day – over the 2019/20 financial year.

Cars parked on James Street, Fortitude Valley – a suburb that has many 15-minute bays and attracted many offences. (AAP Image/Richard Walker)

The Courier-Mail previously revealed that majority of those fines were given to motorists who stopped in a no stopping zone or parked “dangerously” over a yellow line.

“Illegal parking is not only dangerous, it causes traffic chaos and can prevent vital turnover for local businesses,” a Council spokesman said.

Brisbane CBD, South Brisbane and Fortitude Valley, respectively, were the suburbs that attracted the most offences.

Council temporarily switched off its parking metres earlier this year to assist residents and small businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Top Five Reasons Parking fines were cancelled

5851 fines worth $612,781 cancelled for “Reasonable Doubt “

1739 fines worth $203,562 cancelled for “Compassionate Grounds”

1080 fines worth $136,910 cancelled for “Officer Error”

558 fines worth $61,465 cancelled for “Extenuating Circumstances”

127 fines worth $17,344 cancelled for “Exempt Vehicles”

Suburbs where most fines were issued in 2019/2020

• Brisbane CBD

• South Brisbane

• Fortitude Valley

• Spring Hill

• Newstead

The most fines issued in 2019/20

• 18,152 stopping in a no stopping zone

• 9845 parking dangerously over a yellow line

• 9479 parking in a taxi zone

• 8899 parking in a clearway

• 7221 stopping in bus zones

• 2512 stopping and blocking someone’s driveway

• 1166 parking illegally in a no parking zone

• 239 being double parked