Vote to cut park tickets

A SPARE parking spot in Byron is as rare as high-waisted plumbers’ pants but despite the demand for spaces, parking illegally could be about to get a whole lot cheaper.

Byron Shire Council, Tweed Shire and other local governments have been asked by the NSW Government to slash parking fines by $32.

It would mean people who park illegally will be stung with just an $80 fine instead of $112.

Byron Shire’s National Party-aligned councillor Alan Hunter does not support the change as it has been estimated it would strip the council of $158,200 in revenue a year. He said locals bought parking permits for $50 a year, which meant revenue from parking tickets came from tourists, many from the Gold Coast.

“I can’t see it being much of an issue for our ratepayers to get some money from the visitors,” he said.

“It is just one way we can get the visitors to pay for the badly needed revamp to the infrastructure in the shire.”

Councils must inform the NSW Government if they want to adopt the changes by January 1, with implementation on March 1. There is scope to delay the opt-in date.

Tweed Shire councillors will vote on the proposed changes next week.