Gold Coast council parking fines: Push to reduce amounts

A huge majority of Gold Coasters surveyed have demanded change over a council fine that has caused consternation in suburban communities. Full details.

More than three in four readers who responded to a Gold Coast Bulletin survey believe council parking fines are too high and should be reduced.

The Bulletin in August revealed how the cost of one of the most common fines – for parking on a nature strip – had soared 57 per cent from $110 to $193 in just 18 months.

The fine is commonly issued to drivers of vehicles parked with two wheels off the road, causing consternation in suburbs with narrow streets where motorists get pinged when they think they are being courteous.

Division 3 councillor and Deputy Mayor Donna Gates. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Division 3 councillor and Deputy Mayor Donna Gates told the Bulletin there had been a “disturbing” rise in complaints to her office about such fines.

Ms Gates said people in her electorate were suffering cost of living pressures and the $193 fine for the offence should be reviewed.

“I would like to think, given the cost of living pressures, we could review that (the cost of fines) in the lead up to this year’s budget adoption,” Cr Gates said.

“Those fees and charges are set annually, and I think people are doing it a little bit more tough than perhaps they were over the last few years and that’s something we could review.

“ … I’m more than mindful of the people that have contacted me who are going to have difficulty paying a fine and it’s not a pleasant thing to see people struggling at any level, let alone when they’re trying to help the traffic flow when they’re trying to park two wheels up, two wheels down.”

Bulletin readers would appear to agree.

Asked in an online poll whether council should reduce the cost of parking fines in light of cost of living pressures, 416 of 542 respondents said yes – 77 per cent of the total.

In comments, readers also made their feelings clear on the issue.

“By not allowing two wheels on a nature strip in some streets defies logic and is simply just malicious revenue raising,” reader Glen said.

“It creates a traffic hazard and has meant numerous times I have had drive onto someone’s nature strip just to safely get around other cars parked two wheels on the road opposite each other just so I can exit my street.

“If city planning and development have not taken this into consideration during the design phase, then they can hardly start dishing out fines now.”

Cars parked with two wheels on the grass on a road in Coomera.

Another reader called for parking with two wheels off the road to be permitted when it did not impact other road and pathway users.

“In places where there are such narrow streets, if safe, parking with two wheels on the footpath should be allowed, especially for emergency vehicle access when required,” Di said.

“However parking in the driveway, from the fence line to the roadway, should not be allowed.

“People with wheelchairs, mobility issues, mobility scooters, prams, plus small children etc. should not have to step onto the roadway in order to go around parked vehicles and risk injury or death from speeding vehicles on narrow roads.”

A council vehicle parked on the Gold Coast. Picture: Supplied.

A council vehicle parked on the Gold Coast.

Other readers pointed to the fact that council vehicles were not obliged to follow the same rules.

A motorist who did not wish to be named said he had captured images of a number of council vehicles parked on grass verges since being fined for the same offence himself in April.

“It’s not fair,” he said. “When they’re working there it’s ok, but when we’re working there it’s not.”

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