Gold Coast City Council issues 68 parking fines at HOTA’s Sunday markets
Council has been slagged for “misleading” and “sneaky” tactics over free parking, resulting in more than $7300 in fines in just one carpark, in one day.
Gold Coast
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HOTA market regulars have accused Gold Coast City Council of “misleading” and “sneaky” tactics over free parking.
Southport resident Breckan Clough said he was “flabbergasted” when he spotted he – along with nearly six dozen other drivers – were issued parking tickets on Sunday morning.
“I was flabbergasted, I didn’t realise the thing on my windscreen was a ticket,” Mr Clough said.
“Free parking is free parking – it’s diabolical getting fined for free parking.”
Parking at the HOTA precinct carpark is free for the first four hours.
However, to claim free parking, registration must be entered into a parking meter on site.
Mr Clough argues that the signage is misleading, with many people completely unaware of the fine print.
“You’ve got big blue writing at the top of the sign that says ‘free parking for four hours’,” he said.
“Then at the bottom of the sign, in small writing, you’ve got, ‘redeemable by putting details in the machine’ – people who don’t have their reading glasses wouldn’t even be able to see that. I’ve been going there for so many years and I‘ve never put my details in that machine. I was completely unaware as was every other person I spoke to Sunday – no one knew.”
Gold Coast City Council confirmed 68 infringement notices were issued across the HOTA parking precinct on that day.
Mr Clough said he was shocked at how many tickets he saw, with his own fine issued at 9.46am at a whopping $108.
“So rude,” he said.
“So many people getting a $108 ticket for parking for free. They’ve got an unnecessary step that just needs to stop. It seems they’ve got that step there to just book you when they want – it’s so sneaky.”
A spokesperson for Gold Coast City Council said: “There is ample signage in this precinct explaining the parking conditions at the site which have been in place for a number of years.” The spokesperson added that anyone can appeal a parking fine if they feel they were incorrectly issued a Penalty Infringement Notice.
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Originally published as Gold Coast City Council issues 68 parking fines at HOTA’s Sunday markets
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