Council backflips on 'frustrating' parking rule after residents complain of $2m in fines

In a rare win for locals, a major city council has backflipped on its decision to fine drivers for parking on the kerb in narrow streets, which they say they were forced to do so as not to restrict oncoming traffic.

Liverpool City Council, in Sydney's southwest, reportedly raised $2 million in fines from the parking infringements, but now rangers have "been instructed not to book drivers who park over rolled kerbs" formalising "what is already common practice" in the area.

Residents living near the Horningsea Park housing developments in Liverpool, in Sydney's southwest, say the streets are so tight, drivers are having to decide whether to park on the kerb and cop a $302 fine or restrict traffic flow.

The densely populated area, where some homes include occupants with multiple vehicles, means even fewer spaces are available to park than normal. They say it simply "makes life easier" parking on the kerb and earlier criticised the council for handing down steep fines.

Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun has now responded to complaints, announcing "Council rangers stopped enforcing the issue when a draft policy was put in place in October" and the "arrangement has been operating successfully since that time".

"The decision also makes it easier to navigate narrow streets, especially for emergency vehicles and other service vehicles (such as grocery delivery trucks)," Mannoun told Yahoo News Australia. Over the years, he said the state government has allowed developers to build narrower and narrower streets.

"This is council’s solution to the problem. The policy only applies to streets that have rolled kerbs. If the street has the traditional squared off kerbs, the penalty will be enforced."

However the policy only applies to council rangers, Mannoun warned, explaining Transport for NSW and NSW Police are still able to "fine you for half-on half-off parking" though he's implored them to "show some discretion, especially in residential areas".

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'Frustrating' issue blasted by locals

In the past 12 months, the situation saw council record more than $2.4 million in revenue, 9 News reported, adding to residents' "frustration".

"We have to park a little bit on the nature strip to make our lives easier," Asaad Ibrraheem said.

"People do get frustrated, road raging and all that," local man Roland Vassallo added.

Recurring problem along East Coast

Other Sydney councils are dealing with similar problems. Blacktown Council for example said it issues warnings to drivers parked on the kerb around the suburbs of Rouse Hill and then fines repeat offenders.

They claim to have approached the former NSW government to make amendments to road rules in light of the rapid increase in new developments, but those efforts proved fruitless. In the city's Inner West, rangers are encouraged to use discretion when fining cars in tight streets.

Meanwhile in Queensland, an entire street was fined recently for parking along a kerb and not parallel, as required by council. The Graceville community is urging their local council to use common sense and scrap rules prohibiting drivers from parking on an angle along streets in one suburb, a practice which they say allows more cars into the busy area, but authorities strictly forbid it.

Almost 90 motorists were fined $154 for parking perpendicular to the kerb in streets in Graceville in Brisbane earlier this year, when according to council they should have been parking parallel, despite that meaning fewer cars would be able to get into the area.

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