Melbourne City Council issued 23,000 more parking fines last year compared with 2011/12. The council received 35,415 requests for fines to be reviewed of which 8824 fines were withdrawn.
New technology has helped the council issue more fines. In-ground sensor parking technology detects when a vehicle arrives at a parking spot and the technology then notifies parking officers as soon as the vehicle has overstayed the limit. The technology means the clock starts as soon as car arrives in a parking bay – not when a parking ticket is purchased from a machine. The council is defending the ne technology despite claims from the parking inspector's union that the technology has errors.
This week the council had to apologise for issuing a fine to the wrong person after the person challenged in court. The council had fined Tony Tuohey $70, claiming he had parked in a bay between the hours 12.05pm and 6.09pm on August 13, 2012. A council spokesman said: "City of Melbourne now believe that Mr Tuohey's vehicle was incorrectly identified by the officer and the infringement should have been issued to the car in the adjoining bay. The charge was withdrawn by the City of Melbourne and a costs order made in favour of Mr Tuohey" the council said.
Neverthless, the council claims it has won three other contested cases involving parking fines issued via in-ground technology.
The council makes $42 million a year from parking fines. Last year's increase came after a big decline in 2011/12 when the number of fines dropped 100,000 as the council grappled with new number plate parking technology that has now been scrapped. The council's website outlines reasons it will consider for withdrawing a parking fine. These include unforseen circumstances outside the control of the driver, for medical emergencies or vehicle breakdowns. Other circumstances that may be considered include a mental disability, a drug or alcohol addiction or homelessness.
In 2012/13, the City of Melbourne issued 408,722 parking infringement notices. There were 35,415 requests for internal review. Of those 8824 parking infringement notices were withdrawn by the City of Melbourne
In 2011/12, the City of Melbourne issued 385,389 parking infringement notices. There were 33,640 requests for internal review. Of those, 12,504 parking infringement notices were withdrawn.
Other year parking fines:
2008/09 - 484,785
2009/10 - 461,457
2010/11 - 481,323
Reasons for an infringement to be withdrawn:
http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/ParkingTransportandRoads/Parking/ParkingFines/Pages/ContestFines.aspx
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/cbd-parking-tickets-soar-20131114-2xjhx.html#ixzz2ws3XsphU
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