Motorists and residents dobbed in illegal school parkers leading to hundreds of council fines

Residents and motorists are dobbing in illegal car parkers sparking a crackdown in patrols and fines by City officers, an investigation reveals.

Residents and motorists have dobbed in illegal parkers at a school with more staff than car park bays, sparking a crackdown in patrols and fines by City council officers.

A council report also shows the State Government, rather than council, is at fault for the shortfall in parking at one of the city’s five biggest schools, Helensvale State school.

The school has 94 staff but on-site parking supply for only 68 cars, the report also shows.

Councillor William Owen-Jones argued - at a transport committee meeting this week - it was time for Education Queensland to provide enough parking at such super-growth campuses.

“The school is 38 years old. It might be time for them to formalise their onsite parking,” he said.

Cr Owen-Jones added council had encouraged petitioners to outline concerns, and only fined motorists after safety complaints about illegal parking. Some offenders were in bus pick-up zones.

A report into the matter said the City had 79 complaints about illegal parking at the school in the first seven months of 2022 and 145 PINs (penalty infringement notices) issued.

A council produced map showing parking around the Helensvale State School.

Council sources suggest complaints were from motorists including bus drivers concerned about safety along with nearby property owners upset about illegal parking on verges.

The City sent park safe vehicles with cameras. But officers admitted council has no control on the number of parking spots within or outside schools.

“There has been a whole lot of people complaining about it. It will be parents and carers, or if someone has parked in a bus zone,” a council source said.

“The council has no control over the State on how they build infrastructure. There’s a shortfall in car spaces.”

Andrew Hall and Suzanne Hall with their children Georgia, 5, and Chloe, 8, at 'kiss and go' zone outside Helensvale State School. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

The shortfall means “staff that commence work after 8am find it difficult to find a park within the school grounds” and some must park in the streets.

Council officers wrote: “Education Queensland advised they are investigating the provision of additional and formalised staff parking facilities within the school grounds.”

In May the Bulletin detailed how hundreds of parents copped parking fines after a council blitz at school zones.

Since the start of 2022, 4967 fines had been issued by the patrols.

Parents of Helensvale State School kids in May said they had received $172 fines for being stopped on a yellow line while lining up to enter the school’s ‘kiss and go’ zone to do pick ups.

Parent Suzanne Hall said at the time: “They said I was stopped in a no-stopping area. I wrote to them and said I wasn’t stopped, I was moving with the line forward for the ‘kiss and go’ that you’ve provided.”

Petitioners asked the City to provide safe and adequate parking, along with drop off and pick up facilities to match student growth.

They wanted council to ease congestion for residents and reduce the need to issue parking fines to motorists queuing along the yellow line’s no stopping zone at school passenger loading zone on Lindfield Road.

Future plans by the Gold Coast City Council to help improve parking around the Helensvale State School.

Officers found during the afternoon pick up period parking occupancy was 60-80 per cent near the school but the passenger loading zone on Lindfield Road was at 100 per cent occupancy.

The report notes there is no parking problem in the morning due to a longer window when kids get dropped off - but problems occur in the afternoon.“

Officers have recommended adjusting one-hour parking time limits to discourage long stays and increase the availability of parking spaces for parents and guardians doing drop offs and pick ups. The length of the passenger loading zone could be extended.

Another recommendation was for council to write to Education Queensland to construct a formalised staff parking facility within the school grounds with sufficient capacity to meet current and future demand.

Councillors backed Cr Owen-Jones in seeking a “timeframe” from Education Queensland to make parking changes.

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