Outraged parents say Belair Primary School’s kiss and drop zone a ‘hotspot’ for parking fines as Mitcham Council patrols school

Unsuspecting parents collecting their kids from school are being snapped by council “paparazzi vans” and racking up fines. Is it overreach or fair play? Take our poll.

The Belair Primary kiss and drop zone. Picture: Darren Chaitman

Belair Primary School’s kiss and drop zone is being described by outraged parents as a “hotspot” for parking fines as council workers patrol the area at school pick-up times.

Tim Rehn said he and his wife received two $128 fines within a week in late August while picking up their daughter from the school, where she is enrolled in year five.

Mitcham Council fined his wife for “double parking” after she stopped on the right-hand side of the two-lane drop-off zone – a lane the council said should only be used for turning.

Mr Rehn was fined for leaving his car at a “no parking” area.

“They (council) are saying it’s in the interest of safety, but there’s got to be some education before you start throwing $120 fines out,” he said.

Tim Rehn and his daughter Zoe, who attends Belair Primary School. Picture: Supplied

“At very best it needs some proper signage or communication.

“My daughter now walks home across half the suburb because it’s easier than getting a $120 fine once a week.”

He said Mitcham Council workers monitored the area during school drop-off times using a van with a camera on it – “their little paparazzi van” – which captured his wife sitting in the car waiting for their daughter.

“She was still in the car – which as far as I’m concerned, isn’t parked if you’re still in the car,” he said.

Mitcham Council rejected an appeal against his wife’s parking fine – only to withdraw the fine after being questioned by The Advertiser.

Another parent, Megan Smithies, said her husband was fined for parking in a nearby street.

“It was in a no standing zone, so technically it was probably legit … but there’s nowhere to park around here that’s safe for the kids,” she said. “It was like a three-minute stop.”

A Mitcham Council spokeswoman said council officers regularly patrolled school zones, primarily by foot, and would continue to do so by foot.

After The Advertiser’s questions, the council told Mr Rehn they would stop patrolling by van.

“Council takes an education-first approach to school zone parking,” the spokeswoman said, adding that educational materials about road safety were given to the school at the start of each term to share with families.

Belair Primary School principal Rob Houston said: “After becoming aware that some parents have been fined, the school has reached out to the council and is pleased to say there will be further discussion taking place about this, with a meeting arranged for next week.”

A car potentially "double parked" at the Belair Primary kiss and drop. Picture: Darren Chaitman

Grandmother Carol Stanley said parking around the school was so limited she arrived to get a spot between 1.45pm and 2pm for the 3.10pm pick-up.

One father admitted he parked in the staff-only parking lot and had not been caught, while others said they parked at the nearby Catholic church without issue.

Commenting in a school Facebook group, more parents said they had received “unfair” parking fines at the kiss and drop, which was a “hotspot” for fines.

Originally published as Outraged parents say Belair Primary School’s kiss and drop zone a ‘hotspot’ for parking fines as Mitcham Council patrols school