Southland shopper calls for overhaul on ‘flawed’ chalk parking ticket system
A Hampton retiree slapped with a parking fine outside Southland shopping centre has slammed a council’s practice of chalking tyres as “inherently flawed”, claiming she moved her car.
Inner South
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A Southland shopper who was forced to pay a parking fine despite insisting she’d done the “right thing” is demanding an overhaul of Kingston Council’s ticketing system.
Jan Castleman says the old fashioned system of “chalking” left her with an $83 ticket even though she hadn’t outstayed her welcome in a one-hour spot on Matthieson St, Highett on December 12.
Inspectors put a chalk mark on a car tyre when they are checking a time-restricted zone. They return after the number of allowed hours has expired and any cars still there that bear chalk marks get slapped with a ticket.
“I was in a one-hour spot and came back within the hour to move into a two-hour zone down the street … when I came back the second time I found a ticket.”
Ms Castleman told the Leader.
“The council told me my car hadn’t moved and that the chalk was in its original condition, which they use to judge that my car hadn’t moved … I was told to pay the fine or go to court.
“I’m not concerned so much about the money, it's the principle. It’s happening over and over again to people who are innocent.”
The 66-year-old retiree said more controls needed to be in place including taking photographs instead of relying on chalk marks as proof.
“I’m seen as a liar according to the council … they’ve taken the officer’s word over mine,” she said.
“The chalk system is inherently flawed … you try to do the right thing and you still get fined.”
The council’s parking fine revenue soared past $4.2 million in 2018-19, with more than 35,000 drivers copping the dreaded windscreen ticket.
Almost 3000 parking complaints were investigated by officers.
Other councils in Melbourne’s southeast, including the Bayside and Frankston, also use the chalk system.
“Officers will also take photographic evidence of the markings on the vehicle tyre at the time of issuing any infringement,” Bayside city planning and smenity managing director Matthew Cripps said.
“The parking officer must be satisfied that the chalk mark is in original condition.”
Liberal Democrats MP David Limbrick, whose office received a number of complaints regarding “unjust” parking tickets over the last month including from the Castleman family, said a “bit of empathy” was required from councils.
Other incidents reported to the office included that of an elderly woman who was given an incorrect disability parking permit and fined for illegal parking, and a man who was nabbed while he awaited assistance in a nearby building for a flat battery.
“Councils are hurting those that deserve it least … people are turning to us for help because they feel their council is acting unjustly,” Mr Limbrick told the Leader.
“We know they have a job to do, but a bit of empathy goes a long way.”
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The couple has been involved in “cooperative conversations” with the council’s parking department manager Jacqueline Murdoch — who said she would raise the idea of introducing more photography.
“There are others who cannot afford to be ripped off like this and we want help to get the system repaired,” Mr Castleman said.
But Planning and Development acting general manager Tania Asper said it was “unlikely” the approach would be significantly modified.
“However council is willing to investigate whether there is any opportunity to take photographs of vehicles prior to an offence occurring,” she told the Leader.
“In doing so — and given that this would be a significant change in practice — officers will be considering whether this should be implemented and also how these photographs would be recorded and used.”
brittany.goldsmith@news.com.au