Darebin Council to refund $76,000 of fines issued at Preston Market during parking meter experiment

DRIVERS hit with more than $75,000 of fines during a botched parking meter experiment at Preston Market will get the money refunded.

Drivers hit with fines at Preston Market are to get the money refunded. Picture: Steve Tanner

DAREBIN Council will waive almost 1000 fines issued during last year’s botched Preston Market parking experiment, returning more than $76,000 to motorists.

But the labour cost of cleaning up the mess will be in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Councillors voted unanimously last night to waive all 979 fines issued between November 3 and December 12, 2016.

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The fines were issued during the market’s ill-fated “pay by rego” parking system, which angered motorists and was dumped over Christmas in favour of ‘pay and display’ ticket machines.

Market shoppers had already coughed up $29,796 for 382 fines at the time of the vote, with 333 fines worth $25,974 still outstanding.

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Another 264 fines issued during the period had already been contested and withdrawn.

A council report estimated the total labour cost for processing all refunds would be almost $22,000.

Darebin Ratepayers’ Association spokeswoman Anne Laver welcomed the decision but has called for Preston Market to pick up the tab.

“It is really unreasonable that ratepayers should have to pay for this. Preston Market should be paying that cost,” she said.

The Leader is awaiting comment from Preston Market management.