Parking issues
Drivers shouldn’t park on a footpath or road reserve as this area is for pedestrians. Occasionally, due to very narrow streets, it is necessary to park slightly over the kerb of the road. There should always be enough room for a pram or wheelchair to pass safely, and without having to use the road.
Council officers can only enforce parking compliance on public land, roads and reserves. For offences on private land, civil action is required.
If a vehicle is blocking a driveway, bus zone or loading zone, contact Council’s Customer Service team who’ll pass on the details to our Rangers.
Abandoned cars
By law, a registered vehicle can stay in a street, unmoved, as long as it’s legally parked and in good order. The NSW Police is the only department who can enforce the removal of a car.
Vehicles in a residential street can only be treated as abandoned once its registration expires, and evidence indicates the owner of the vehicle doesn’t live nearby. If you are aware that it is owned, but unregistered and on the road, you’ll need to contact the police who will consider action. However, Council doesn’t have the ability to remove or issue fines for an offence associated with an unregistered, owned vehicle parked legally on the road.
When Council is looking at a suspected abandoned vehicle, it will have an orange sticker placed on it. The investigating officer will try and contact its last registered owner. If there’s no response within seven working days from the first letter going out, the process to remove the vehicle can begin.
This would only change in case of an emergency, for instance if the vehicle a hazard to public safety.
Infringements
If you receive a penalty notice you may choose to:
- pay
- request a review or
- go to court
If you take no action, you will receive a penalty reminder notice from the State Debt Recovery Office. When you receive this notice you still have the three options - to pay, request a review or choose to go to court.
If you continue to take no action, State Debt Recovery Office will start enforcement action.
The first of these will be the issue of an enforcement order. You will also have $50 costs imposed in addition to your fine. Your options are:
- pay
- apply for a time to pay or
- request for a review
If you take no action, you will receive RMS restrictions which can include licence suspension, registration suspension and/or customer business restrictions. In addition, $40 costs per restriction will be imposed. If you apply to go to court, an additional $50 fee must be sent with your application. Your options are:
- pay
- apply for a time to pay or
- appeal to Court
Should you still take no action, other restrictions may be enforced. These can include property seizure, garnishee orders, examination summons and a charge on land. In addition, $50 costs per enforcement action will be imposed. If you apply to go to court, an additional $50 fee must be sent with your application. Your options are:
- pay
- apply for a time to pay or
- appeal to Court
If, after all these options, you still take no action other enforcement action may be applied. These include Community Service Orders (CSO).
If you think you have been unfairly issued a parking infringement, or if you feel there are extenuating circumstances you wish to have taken into account which may alter the terms of the infringement, you can lodge a 'Request for a Review' with State Debt Recovery Office.
You can either use the address which is featured on the infringement notice, or you can mail your request. Mail your 'Request for a Review' to State Debt Recovery Office, PO Box 786, Strawberry Hills, NSW, 2012
Infringement notices will state if a photo has been taken of the offence. If you want to get a copy of the photo for clarification and representation, you can send a service request to Ranger Services.