Cheltenham traders slam fines, allege Bayside Council changed parking conditions during shift
Furious Cheltenham traders claim they parked in unrestricted carparks to go to work, only to find two-hour parking signs for a nearby major golfing tournament had been erected and $85 tickets slapped on windscreens at the end of their shifts.
Inner South
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Cheltenham traders have taken a swing at Bayside Council after they were slapped with fines for parking in spaces they say have “always” been unrestricted.
Fuming Hotco employees have teed up at the council, accusing them of changing the spaces to two-hour zones along Park Rd after workers had already parked there on Monday.
Technical sales Adviser Greg Wilson says drivers were left feeling very disgruntled when they left the office to discover the $85 tickets slapped on their windscreens.
Mr Wilson accused the council of cable tying the signs to the Victoria Golf Club fence while employees were on shift.
The parking restrictions are believed to be a bid to prevent the hundreds of golf spectators flocking to the neighbouring Royal Melbourne Golf course for the President’s Cup tournament from using the are for all-day parking.
“Hotco employees have been parking there for years. We would have noticed the signs in the morning if they were there …(council) must have put them up during the day,” he said.
“It’s simply outrageous.”
But Bayside Recreation and Infrastructure director Steven White said the signs were installed on Saturday.
“Council has implemented a number of temporary parking restrictions to manage parking around this significant international event,” he said.
“Written notification was provided to residents and business owners in affected areas in early November.”
Mr Wilson said the council made “no attempt” to notify the workers in advance of plans to change parking conditions and when contacted, they were asked to fill out an infringement review page.
He demanded the employees be sent parking permits.
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“More officers came to put out more signs (to warn people after the fines were issued) and I think that’s an admission of guilt in itself,” Mr Wilson said.
“There’s no excuse for this.”
The employees have decided to fight the fines and are refusing to pay up.
Mr White confirmed the restrictions would be removed at the end of the tournament.