No parking or no stopping: What are the differences and do you know the rules?
Each month thousands of NSW drivers are stung with hefty fines for parking offences, new data reveals.
Some of the seemingly innocuous parking offences drivers have been hit with include disobeying a no stopping or no parking sign, or stopping/parking in a restricted parking area.
Recent data from Revenue NSW, shows that parking offences were up by more than 42 per cent from October to November this year, with over 98,000 NSW drivers being fined a grand total of $17,218,078.
Yahoo News Australia compiled a list of the basic road rules around no stopping and no parking to help NSW drivers avoid common parking pitfalls.
No parking rules
According to the NSW government, drivers must not stop or park their vehicle:
Alongside another parked vehicle i.e. double park
Across a driveway, unless you’re picking up or dropping off passengers
On a median strip, unless a sign says otherwise
On a traffic island
Within an intersection
On a children’s crossing or pedestrian crossing
On a railway level crossing
On footpaths and nature strips, unless a sign says otherwise
In a slip lane, unless a sign says you can.
Your parked vehicle must not block the flow of traffic, or become a danger to other road users.
In some places, you must not park at certain times or under certain conditions.
However, if you have a Mobility Parking Scheme (MPS) permit, you can stop for up to five minutes.
‘No parking’ signs
You must not park on a road or in an area on the road where there’s a 'No parking' sign. This may be all the time, or at certain times, as shown on the sign.
You can stop for less than two minutes if you stay within three metres of your vehicle and you’re:
Dropping off or picking up passengers
Loading or unloading items
‘No stopping’ signs
‘No stopping’ signs means you must not stop at any point on the road or kerb in the direction of the arrow, unless in an emergency.
‘No stopping’ areas are sometimes marked by an unbroken yellow edge line and restrictions may apply at certain times only, as shown on the sign.
What fines do parking offences carry in NSW?
Disobeying a no stopping sign will cost Aussie drivers upward of $272, while disobeying a no parking sign carries a fine of $116.
NSW drivers who stop or park in a restricted parking area will cop a $116 fine and stopping on a road with a continuous yellow edge line will cost them $272.
Drivers should also be aware that increased fines may apply if the offence is committed in a school zone and a lesser fine may apply if issued by an enforcement officer from a NSW Government authority or participating local council or university.
