Gold Coast carparking fines rising as revenue falls
Data reveals inspectors have been handing out hundreds more tickets a week on average than a year ago. WORST SUBURBS FOR PARKING FINES
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Gold Coasters are calling for an end to a parking fine crackdown after new data revealed inspectors are handing out 500 more tickets a week on average than a year ago.
The Bulletin last week revealed that, with three months still to run in the business calendar, 107,571 motorists have been slugged. For all of 2020-21, inspectors wrote 117,916 infringements. At this rate, council will average about 25,000 more fines.
Pre-Covid, in 2018-19, it was 172,000.
Bulletin readers say they are furious over the idea and called on the council with withdraw the sale of Bruce Bishop Carpark.
Jon and Lou wrote: “do not sell Bruce Bishop car park end of story so stupid.”
Gold Coaster wrote: This sale is so wrong on every level, absolute madness and a so wrong that councillors would vote against what the voting public want, for a short term money gain when it along with the retail component would be making money for rate payers unlike Hota.
“Watch and see the new owner retain the whole thing the way it is except cars will also be on the top level and jack up all the rates just like Gold Coast University hospital,” they wrote.
500 MORE A WEEK
Gold Coast parking inspectors are handing out 500 more tickets a week on average than a year ago, new data reveals.
City leaders have denied its staff have been given orders to crack down on errant motorists to raise revenue after two years of few tickets being handed out
With three months still to run in the business calendar, 107,571 motorists have been slugged. For all of 2020-21, inspectors wrote 117,916 infringements. At this rate, council will average about 25,000 more fines.
Pre-Covid, in 2018-19, it was 172,000.
City transport committee head Councillor Pauline Young did not return the Bulletin’s calls on Wednesday but has previously blamed the pandemic and closed borders for the decline and denied the council was engaging in revenue raising.
Parking fines and fees brought in $17.4m in 2014-15 and $22.9m in 2015-16. However, revenue had already declined before the pandemic, having fallen to $10.6m in 2018-19. It fell to $9.8m in 2019-20, during the early stages of Covid-19.
In early 2021, a confidential budget report given to councillors showed the city’s parking revenue was down by more than $2.6m and had consistently been between 50 per cent to 75 per cent less than what it should have been.
A council spokeswoman said at the time the reduction in parking infringements was “attributed to a combination of factors, including Covid-19 and delays to our planned rollout of new parking sensor technology.”
Council data obtained by the Bulletin this year showed that of the 117,916 fines issued, nearly 40,000 were in Surfers Paradise. Burleigh Heads (23,542) and Southport (23,442) were next.
Of the 117,916 fines issued in the 2020/21 financial year, 13,675 were appealed. Those appeals were successful in 8541 cases – or 62 per cent of cases.
The council says car ownership is expected to increase by 32 per cent or 198,000 vehicles within a decade.
It comes just months after council revealed it was considering shrinking carparks to create more spaces around popular business hubs.
Line markings with council-run carparks are being reviewed as part of the city’s 10-year parking strategy in a bid to “maximise” bays.
Burleigh Heads, Varsity Lakes, Surfers Paradise, Nerang, Broadbeach and Southport are all being investigated.
‘Economic tragedy’: Push for free parking in tourism hotspot
Council’s parking fine blitz in Surfers Paradise is driving away much-needed tourism as the city recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, a local real estate agent warned.
Telly Karadimos was shocked to watch council parking inspectors hand out 12 tickets for cars parked in front of Surfers Paradise beach on Sunday morning.
He is calling on Gold Coast City Council to give more leeway for tourists and locals parking in the party precinct over long weekends.
“We’ve been through two years of economic tragedy on the Gold Coast. We need to keep things positive for tourism – not scare people away,” Mr Karadimos said.
“If one of those tourists at the beach that day got an $80 ticket, I don’t think they’re going to spend $100 for lunch at one of the restaurants.”
He suggested five hours of free parking in Surfers Paradise on long weekends could help the problem and ease pressure on city parking inspectors who were “just doing their jobs”.
“Tourists are the people who keep Surfers Paradise going. We had a great buzz here over the long weekend and it was fantastic to see so many people around,” Mr Karadimos said.
“This time last year when I walked down Cavill Mall there was no one.”
A council spokeswoman said parking was free at night and on public holidays in most places. “However, in Burleigh Heads, Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, normal parking charges and time-limit measures apply on public holidays,” she said.
“This is to ensure that there is a turnover of vehicles enabling more motorists to visit the area throughout the day.
“City parking officers operate seven days a week, conducting regular parking enforcement activities and targeting areas where complaints are received about parking behaviours.”
Mr Karadimos said the issue would only get worse once the Bruce Bishop carpark was sold.
Last month, business and community leaders warned the council they will be left financially devastated by locals avoiding the area without public carparking.
They were calling on the council to ensure some public carparking was retained for veterans and more than 250 nippers who took part in surf activities every weekend.
Parking fines have been a hot topic for Gold Coast residents over the past month as the cost of living continues to soar.
Earlier this week it was revealed hundreds of parents had been issued fines after a council blitz at school zones using new ‘Park Safe’ vehicles.
The special cars, which are fitted with sophisticated camera technology, have been attending schools at drop-off and pick-up times since classes resumed on February 7.
And debate raged after several Pacific Pines residents were slapped with a $110 fine for parking on their nature strips – which many did not realise was illegal.
But the council was accused of double standards after images emerged on social media of a council-branded vehicle which appeared to break the same rule.
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