Box Hill parking: In-ground sensors to increase fines, and bring in millions

A “totalitarian” move to rake in an extra $8 million through parking sensors has an eastern suburbs council accused of bad behaviour.

Whitehorse Council will install 2000 new in-ground parking sensor monitors.

Whitehorse Council is set to triple the number of parking sensors it operates, bringing more than $8 million into the council coffers.

After a heated debate, Mayor Andrew Munroe used his casting vote to tick-off on a plan to accept a tender from Data Consultants Australia at a recent meeting, that will see an extra 2000 sensors installed across the community, and the recruitment of four permanent staff members to service the contract.

The sensors will make it easier for the council to catch those who overstay parking time limits.

According to the council report, since 2015, the council has used 1200 sensors in bays strategically placed across the municipality in areas where parking is at a premium.

The tender will provide for an extra 2000 sensors (a total of 3200) providing greater coverage.

Increasing the in-ground sensor footprint by about 270 per cent will enable the council to dish out more fines.

About 14,400 fines are generated annually through the existing sensor network.

“It is anticipated that the output of infringements generated through the proposed expansion program will result in excess of 24,000 additional infringements annually,” the council report said.

Parking is at a premium in Box Hill. Picture: David Caird

“Importantly this is through more efficient coverage and response to overstays not by a change to a harder enforcement standard.”

The costs associated with the new staff positions will be offset by the additional income generated.

The net revenue after expenditure over five years is $8,067,500.

Director of Communications at free market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs, Evan Mulholland, said it was a selfish decision by the council at a time where small businesses are on their knees due to rolling government-imposed lockdowns.

“Councils should be making it easier for residents to get around the community and shop local, rather than punishing residents who value their local shopping strips,” he said.

Ratepayers Victoria President Dean Hurlston said it was alarmed by the action of Whitehorse Council.

“We have sadly been advising the local Government Minister that we are seeing many councils gouge their way back to huge profit/surplus at serious impact to their communities,” he said.

Cr Prue Cutts voted against the motion and said the community would be “pretty horrified” by the plan.

“Eight million dollars or so over five years and we’re going to employ four new people to roll this out,” she said.

“I think the public will be furious.

“It shows we’re completely out of touch with our community.”

Cr Blair Barker said he didn’t want people fined $160 for overstaying in a carpark “by a minute”.

He compared it to “Big Brother, totalitarian surveillance”.

“This is a bad, bad way to treat people,” he said.

Cr Raylene Carr said she understood the benefits of sensors, but believed it wasn’t the right time to install them.

“We’re in Covid, everybody is doing it tough,” she said.

But Cr Denise Massoud supported the motion, and said the sensors would allow the council to efficiently and effectively monitor vehicle movements in and out of parking bays.

She said it was about encouraging the community to do the right thing, and supporting local traders, ensuring there was a turnover of vehicles.

Cr Munroe also supported the officer’s report and said the occupational health and safety of the council’s parking inspectors was an important part of what the sensors were for.

He said they were also about supporting local businesses and making sure residents had access to their homes, by ensuring there was a turnover of vehicles.

He said claims the sensors were about revenue-raising or a blatant grab for cash were disingenuous.

Councillors Massoud, Liu, Skilbeck, Munroe and Lane supported the motion, with councillors Carr, Stennett, McNeill, Cutts and Barker voting against it.

The sensors are set to go live by the end of September.