It’s another fine mess Thirty motorists stung after changes cause confusion
LOCAL workers – including Gold Coast University staff – are up in arms after more than 30 received parking fines after council blitzed a Parkwood street yesterday.
The fines came after a change in signage at Tonga Place – a parking hotspot for hospital staff and students from nearby Griffith University – that motorists say left them confused.
Nurse Rachelle Cooke said she has been parking in the street for three years now and was shocked by the $78 fine.
“It’s quite high demand, you’ve got students also you’re competing with, but I’ve never been ticketed,” she said.
Parking signs which were situated along the street previously have been removed and replaced by signs advising drivers as they enter the street that it is a restricted parking area.
Ms Cooke said she had assumed the removal of the signs had meant the entire street had become 24-hour parking.
For Ms Cooke this means now parking across the street at the Southport Sharks football oval, something which means more money and a longer walk to work.
“A lot of the concerns that have been raised by staff is that with these zones we’re having to park further and further away, which does become a safety risk when we’re finishing late at night and also walking to night duty,” she said.
“It’s just my expectation that I should be able to get to work safely, as well as have access to get parking as well.”
After calling the Council inquiry line Ms Cooke was advised to dispute the fine and given Councillor Dawn Crichlow’s contact details.
A council spokesperson said the new parking scheme began in February this year, meaning previous signage had been removed.
“Unless signed otherwise parking within the precinct is limited to a maximum of two hours,” the spokesperson said.
Business owner Ian Blent has been operating on the street for 10 years and said street parking had been a problem for as long as he could remember.
“If they had signage in the street, you wouldn’t care, because at least then everybody knows,” he said, adding it wasn’t uncommon to see people in the cul-de-sac area being ticketed.
“I thought it was a bit rude, that was the first time they’ve come along and booked everybody.”
After being contacted by staff at the hospital Ms Crichlow said she had been in touch with the local Neighbourhood Watch to explain the situation.
“In the meantime, if you get booked and those signs have been removed you should make a concession to Council to have the ticket waived,” she said.
The new scheme is currently under review and a report will be considered by Council in October this year.