Council parking technology hitting Wynnum residents where it hurts

Brisbane City Council parking technology hitting Brisbane residents where it hurts – in their pockets.

John McArdle poses for a photograph on Edith Street in Wynnum. Picture: AAP/Sarah Marshall

NEW Brisbane City Council technology is hitting bayside residents where it hurts – in their pockets.

Motorists using street parking in Wynnum central have been shocked in recent weeks to receive $100 council fines for overstaying their time in specific parking zones.

In most cases, the fines were given to motorists parking in a 30-minute zone. There were no prior warnings.

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Cr Peter Cumming (Wynnum Manly) said in his weekly newsletter that residents could now expect to see the time restrictions enforced.

“The new technology in use means a council van can photograph your car, in say the 30-minute zone, cruise past just over half an hour later, and yes, you will receive a $100 fine,” Cr Cumming said.

Bayside resident Jon McArdle believes the fines are too extreme and said the Brisbane City Council should notify people in a different way.

John McArdle walking on Edith Street in Wynnum. Picture: AAP/Sarah Marshall

Mr McArdle has been hit with two $100 fines in the past month after parking on Edith St in Wynnum and he said enforcing the fines in a 30-minute zone was unreasonable.

“Me and my wife usually go to Wynnum central to get a coffee or see the doctors and because of the gear we have and helping my wife out of the car, it can take 10 to 15 minutes,” he said.

“Then we go have a coffee, because we like supporting the businesses here, or see the doctors, how are we meant to do that within 30 minutes.

“We end up having to pay more than $115 for a coffee, that’s an expensive coffee and we want to support our businesses in the Wynnum central area but it’s a no go zone for us now.”

Mr McArdle also said that if council was going to be so strict with parking in the area, they needed to give the fines on the spot.

“We didn’t know about this technology and it happening here in Wynnum. We didn’t even know we had been fined until we received a letter in the mail a couple of weeks later,” he said.

“So of course, because I didn’t get that fine immediately, I was hit with another one.”

Wynnum CBD.

Cr Cumming said there were some positives to the enforcement of the restrictions.

“The idea of a mixture of time limits with some quite short is, in my view, a good one as it encourages plenty of motorists to move in and out and leaves space for others. What Wynnum central does not want is motorists parking all day,” he said.

“What Wynnum Central does not want is motorists parking all day.”

A Brisbane City Council spokesman said Vehicle-mounted Automatic Number Plate Recognition has been in place across Brisbane for almost a year and was in place in the surrounding streets of Wynnum central.

“The purpose of council’s camera system is to effectively manage on-street parking regulations so that our roads are safer for motorists and pedestrians, parking spaces freed up for businesses, and to reduce traffic congestion throughout Brisbane,” he said.

“The vehicle mounted camera system is not used within Wynnum Central carpark, but is used within the surrounding streets.

“It is a requirement for all road users to comply with the road rules.”

The council spokesman also said under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management — Road Rules) Regulation 2009, if the vehicle is displaying a current parking permit for people with disabilities the following rules apply:

The driver may park continuously on a length of road, or in an area, to which a permissive parking sign applies—

– if the time limit on the sign is less than 30 minutes — for 30 minutes; or

– if the time limit on the sign is 30 minutes or more — for an unlimited time.

“Council officers often exercise discretion to only warn people rather than issue a monetary fine,” he said.