A man challenging an “outrageous” fine has criticized his council for restricting residents’ parking options by providing fewer spaces.
Ben, a motorist from Sydney, was fined $129 after parking his Subaru Impreza hatch next to a fence in a temporary car park near Campbelltown train station, in the city’s southwest, last Friday.
The parking lot is intended to provide parking for commuter residents while a new multi-level parking garage is constructed.
However, Ben described the temporary gravel lot as a “nightmare” as the lack of spaces forces drivers to park wherever they can find a spot along the fence.
Ben and many other drivers who parked next to the fence returned to find among the fine print that they had been fined $129 for “failing to park vehicle in marked parking space.”
A man was left furious after he was fined $129 for parking next to a fence at a temporary car park in Campbelltown, south-west of Sydney (pictured).
The new parking lot is expected to add 500 parking spaces once it is completed later this year; however, the temporary parking lot only has 113 spaces.
“They have announced that the temporary car park has the same number of spaces lost during construction, which is very incorrect,” Ben told Nine.
“I can only assume that they are ticketing a lot of drivers, since the space along the fence is always full of cars parked just like mine.”
The blurry images sent to Ben along with the ticket show his car parked next to the fence, as well as the long, confusing sign outlining the parking rules at the entrance to the parking lot.
Ben said it’s “just not fair” to fine people for being confused by unclear parking signs.
Locals have described the temporary parking spaces as a “nightmare” while work is underway to replace an old car park (pictured) for residents commuting to work.
A Campbelltown Council spokesperson said they understood there would be “some disruption” to the car park during the construction of the new car park.
“A temporary 113-space car park has been opened next to the existing car park to offset some of the loss of parking,” the spokesperson said.
‘(The council is) actively monitoring and reviewing current parking and signage arrangements, as well as community feedback, to identify any further improvements that can be made and inform any additional community notifications required.
“While this review is underway, vehicles will only be fined where a risk to the safety of both other vehicles and pedestrians is identified.”