An Aussie tradie is heading to court to test a $320 penalty for car park throughout his very own driveway while opening up eviction to drive in.
Builder Mark Fricker of Newcastle was photographed last September by a council electronic camera when his ute was quickly quit across his driveway with 2 wheels in the seamless gutter of the bus area that fronts his home.
He just familiarized the supposed offense when he obtained a great using e-mail regarding 10 days later on. The charge notification claimed he was parked in a bus area.
The penalty was produced by the council’s mobile permit plate acknowledgment innovation with video cameras connected to council automobiles patrolling the city’s roads to keep an eye on car park offenses.
Fricker informed Yahoo News the penalty was ‘unfair’ and would certainly not have actually been released if a ranger got on the scene to see what was taking place. His tries to use up the issue with council were described Revenue NSW and he felt he had no choice yet to object to the penalty in court.
“If it had been a person and not a car, they wouldn’t have issued the fine,” Fricker claimed.
“I don’t feel an automated camera system is right. If a ranger had seen me park there, get out and open the gate, and move the car in, he wouldn’t have worried about it. He could see that I’m not a threat or danger to a bus, or passengers getting on or off, so it wouldn’t have happened.”
With just his two tyres in the gutter, Fricker argues he was not in the bus zone — he was on the footpath, but had to leave two wheels in the gutter while he opened the gate so he didn’t block the footpath.
A City of Newcastle spokesperson told Yahoo News that NSW Police will represent it in Newcastle Local Court next month but declined to comment further on the matter due to the case listed to appear in court.
Pressure on councils to halt ticketless parking fines
The dispute is one of several to arise from controversial ticketless parking fine systems used by councils across NSW. There was a 49 per cent surge in ticketless parking fines issued in NSW during the 2023-24 financial year. Revenue from ticketless fines surged to $158 million for that period, up 54 per cent on the previous year.
With more than 40 councils switching to ticketless parking fines, there has been an outcry over motorists being unable to contest infringement notices until days or weeks later when they become aware of the fine.
NSW Finance Minister Courtney Houssos has been pushing for a halt to the ticketless system, and says if councils aren’t willing to provide a “common-sense fix” the government will step in.
“The current implementation of the ticketless parking system has eroded trust in [the] parking fine system,” she contacted councils in 2015. “Providing instant alert to chauffeurs is the best point to do.”
Council should educate not fine, ratepayer says
The City of Newcastle introduced licence plate recognition technology across the region in November, 2023, The Newcastle Herald reported, with the aim of “supplementing foot patrols to improve the efficiency of parking compliance”.
Fricker said he understands the council’s perspective but doesn’t agree with the automated approach.
“It is easy for them, probably raking in revenue and their council rangers aren’t put at risk of violence or abuse,” he told Yahoo News.
“I can see their perspective, but as a ratepayer my view is the council’s job is to educate, not fine ratepayers.”
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