Government to set example by lowering fines from $110 to $80
A 10-MINUTE grace period before parking fines are issued will headline the biggest overhaul — and softening — of parking penalties in Sydney’s history.
NSW
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A 10-MINUTE grace period before parking fines are issued will headline the biggest overhaul — and softening — of parking penalties in Sydney’s history.
The Saturday Telegraph can reveal the state government wants to be kinder in regards to all non-safety-related road fines, and will also launch a review into confusing street signs that lead to people being unwittingly stung.
The government, which will set the example by dropping parking fines from $110 to $80 in areas it polices, will also push councils to lower parking fines right across the city.
The review will also abolish scores of archaic fines that still exist, including a $200 fine for tooting your horn to say hello or $180 for not having a bell on a bicycle, and consider whether the penalties are “fair” by community standards.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has been working on the plans for more than a year.
“People are getting hit too hard in the hip pocket by parking fines and it’s time to act,” Mr Perrottet said.
“This is not about getting rid of an offence, it’s about making sure the system is flexible and strikes a balance between deterrence and fairness.”
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Councils are mostly responsible for penalties, issuing 90 per cent of parking fines in the 2016-17 financial year totalling about $172 million, with the state government issuing fines to the tune of $15 million.
The government will soften the rules in areas it polices, such as around Centennial Park, and encourage councils to do the same by legislating to give them the authority to reduce fines.
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While councils are more than happy to rake in parking fine revenue, it is understood the government believes that by putting councils under pressure it will be too embarrassing for them to not reduce fines.
“I hope they follow our lead and do the right thing by their residents and ratepayers,” Mr Perrottet said of the councils.
“We will look at introducing a reasonable grace period ... this will mean mum or dad wrestling with groceries and kids don’t have their week ruined by being a few minutes late getting back to feed the meter.”
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It is understood the grace period will not apply to five-minute parking zones.
The measures will be a hit to the government’s budget but are a crucial selling point in its bid to ease cost of living pressures .
PARKING FINES AND WHAT THEY’VE EARNED AROUND SYDNEY
(2016-17)
City of Sydney Council
256,866 fines costing a total of $34,117,830
Inner West Council
95,944
$13,280,532
Waverley Council
68368
$9,206,362
North Sydney City Council
52425
$7,882,601
Northern Beaches Council
55486
$7,476,722.00
Canterbury-Bankstown Council
41802
$7,174,699
Woollahra Council
48440
$6,193,109
Randwick City Council
33656
$5,211,116
City of Parramatta
38282
$5,200,918
Willoughby City Council
34051
$5,036,950
Sutherland Shire Council
32632
$4,985,026
Fairfield City Council
26196
$4,853,276
City of Canada Bay Council
28310
$4,255,906
Bayside Council
24490
$4,214,155
Georges River Council
24874
$3,906,830
City of Ryde
26271
$3,831,512
Burwood Council
25264
$3,671,181
Newcastle City Council
27830
$3,651,781
Liverpool City Council
25071
$3,613,346
Mosman Municipal Council
21249
$2,996,471
Wollongong City Council
17218
$2,888,114
Blacktown City Council
14248
$2,488,710
Central Coast Council
14270
$2,464,741
Cumberland Council
14554
$2,374,038
Ku-ring-gai Council
14621
$2,271,886
Hornsby Shire Council
12062
$2,010,246
Lane Cove Municipal Council
10296
$1,660,931
Penrith City Council
10499
$1,506,082
Campbelltown City Council
7508
$1,312,953.00