REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Thursday, April 27, 2006

THE city’s controversial new parking meters did not work in wet and humid weather, and had malfunctioned almost 500 times in just over a month.

In the latest embarrassment surrounding the council’s dreaded machines, it emerged the technology was not suited to the Gold Coast’s subtropical climate.

In the northern tropics, where Townsville City Council installed the same pay-anddisplay machines, similar malfunctions were experienced.

The northern council has admitted the machines often did not distribute parking tickets in wet or humid weather.

Councillor Dale Parker told The Townsville Bulletin the paper inside the meters did not react well to the city’s weather conditions.

“When the paper gets wet from heavy rain, or humidity, the machine can’t print the ticket on it and it is not distributed,” he said.

“While all machine manufacturers claim their machines can handle hot, humid tropical climates, this is probably not the case since most machines are used in temperate climates.”

Back on the Gold Coast, the council was experimenting with different types of paper to reduce malfunctions.

An internal Gold Coast City Council memo, obtained by the Gold Coast Bulletin, revealed that between March 13 and April 19 there were 460 printer faults in the meters.

Many Gold Coast residents complained they received parking fines, despite putting their money into meters, because the faulty machines did not issue tickets.