Residents fight fines

Sturt St resident Julie Cowley has criticised the City of Melbourne for failing to notify residents of parking changes out the front of her apartment.

Ms Cowley received a $148 fine from a City of Melbourne parking officer earlier this month as a result of clipped on signage along the front her City View apartment building.

Ms Cowley said she and other residents had written to the City of Melbourne requesting answers and that the fines be revoked.  

“What I find quite appalling in this case is firstly residents were never informed conditions were changing and the number of street parking positions reducing,” she said. “The council does have all our contact details as we pay rates and purchase permits.”

“The signage they have put up does not look like the work of the City of Melbourne. It looks like someone has put it up as a joke, not something that is official at all.”

“Last time I looked at the signs it said ‘Area 12 permits accepted’ and we were then authorised to park in these car parks. Now a filthy scratched sign that is bulldog clipped on it says, ‘Authorised Vehicles Only’.”

A City of Melbourne spokesperson said signage could change regularly for a number of uses and notification was only required for permit applicants who might be using the parking for an extensive period of time.

The spokesperson was unable to provide a direct explanation as to why the signage had been put up.

“Parking control signs can regularly change due to a number of reasons; some of them include requests for reserved parking permits from film crews, removalists, builders and other event organisers,” the spokesperson said.

“Therefore, drivers are required to read the parking signs and ensure their vehicles remain legally parked at all times.”

“In cases where the temporary changes to parking control signs were to be in place for a significant period of time, the City of Melbourne may require a permit applicant to notify stakeholders from the immediate area.”

“Anyone who wishes to have a parking infringement withdrawn can write to the City of Melbourne to request an internal review of their infringement.”

Ms Cowley said she was yet to receive a response from the City of Melbourne and urged other residents to be vigilant around parking signs.