Parking ‘scam’ a fine mess

Surfers driver wants council to waive $78 fee

A BRISBANE woman claims she was “scammed” after stopping in a “free parking” bay in Surfers Paradise at the weekend – and wants council to waive the fee.

Mother Terri Dillion says she parked on Trickett St about 10.30am on Sunday and noticed a free parking sticker covering the screen of the parking meter (right).

She said she left her car for 15 minutes, only to receive a $78 parking ticket.

“There was no way I could pay at all because the sticker covered the whole screen of the meter.”

She said another motorist was fined and took a picture of his car.

Mrs Dillion yesterday contacted Gold Coast City Council to question the legitimacy of the fine and the sticker.

“I called and asked why was a sticker there if I was supposed to pay,” she said. “I was told they would never let officers put the stickers on parking meters as it would take too much time.

“I didn’t want to pull the sticker off because to me that is defacing public property.”

A council spokeswoman said there was temporary “free parking” signage applied to three parking meters near a workplace development zone in Trickett St due to the machines being faulty.

“The remaining parking meters in the area were operating and not impacted by this work zone,” she said.

“The three parking meters resumed normal paid operations at 8am Monday.”

The spokeswoman said if it was a mistake, council would scrap the fine.

Surfers Paradise councillor Gary Baildon said he did not “have an answer for why the meters were covered but the parking meters are very clear”.