Western Sydney drivers will be relieved to learn that The Hills, Blacktown, Holroyd, Hornsby, Penrith and Parramatta Councils have all confirmed they have no plans to introduce parking meters in the next 12 months.
Each of the councils we approached said they felt the current level of parking demand was being effectively managed and attributed this to the success of their school-enforcement campaigns.
The result has seen fewer fines for drivers, on average, in the past three financial years in all but Hornsby Council. Drivers there are copping more fines every year.
Scroll down to read the comments of every council we approached.
Hornsby's spokesman said its figures were affected by staff vacancies and changes to enforcement practices due to technology improvements and regular reviews of work practices.
Figures produced by the NSW Office of State Revenue showed the opposite was true in The Hills, where revenue has dropped from $831,368 in 2011-12 to $630,882 in 2012-13 and $613,621 in 2013-14.
The Hills Council's spokesman said it had responded to concerns from principals and parents by issuing a higher proportion of school zone penalty notices.
The biggest change was in Parramatta Council where penalty notices dwindled to $3.97 million in 2013-14, compared to $5.85 million in 2012-13.
The figure was $5.36 million in 2011-12.
"Proactive patrols have continued, with patrols in and around schools being increased," Parramatta Council's spokesman said.
"This is one of the reasons our parking fine revenue has fallen in the past year."
The introduction of 15-minute free parking in the CBD may have made figures fall.
Penrith Council's spokesman said: "We prefer to educate and avoid any potential safety issues."
The council issues new school parents with "zero tolerance" pamphlets.
Penrith has more than 80 schools and five parking rangers to monitor them.
In Blacktown, the council sends two officers to two schools every morning and afternoon on rotation.
Hornsby's spokesman said the frequency of patrols in its school zones was determined by the history of offences detected at each school.
Fines for each offence are set by the state under the State Debt Recovery Office Fixed Penalty Handbook, with school-zone penalties attracting a higher penalty than other offences.
■ This article is in response to a press release issued by The Hills Council in which it included analysis of parking figures in neighbouring councils. Read their release here.
■ Prince and Main streets, Blacktown: Anecdotal evidence suggests these two streets generate the most fines, Blacktown Council’s spokeswoman said. ‘‘Double-parking and overstaying length of permitted time to park appeared the most common offences.’’
■ George Street, Parramatta: Parramatta Council’s spokesman said 4375 penalty notices were issued in this street last financial year, accounting for 13 per cent of overall penalty notices.
■ Blacktown: $2.46 million; council notices, 14,190
■ Holroyd: $1.55 million; council notices, 9594
■ Hornsby: $1.913 million; council notices, 13,058
■ The Hills: $613,621; council notices, 3393
■ Parramatta: $3.97 million; council notices, 33,336
■ Parramatta Park and Western Sydney Parklands Trust: $149,503; council notices, 1477
■ Penrith: $1.09 million; council notices, 8307
■ Blacktown: $2.26 million; council notices, 13,215
■ Holroyd: $1.87 million; council notices, 10,813
■ Hornsby: $1.77 million; council notices, 12,400
■ The Hills: $630,882; council notices, 3708
■ Parramatta: $5.85 million; council notices, 51,846
■ Penrith: $1.03 million; council notices, 8139
■ Blacktown: $2.63 million; council notices, 17,757
■ Holroyd: $1.27 million; council notices, 7727
■ Hornsby: $1.34 million; council notices, 9914
■ The Hills: $831,368; council notices, 5891
■ Parramatta: $5.36 million; council notices, 51,269
■ Penrith: $1.16 million; council notices, 9724
BLACKTOWN COUNCIL
1. How does your council explain the figures for the last three financial years? The Hills Council suggests it has placed an emphasis on school zone safety and therefore its revenue has fallen.
Figures fluctuate from year to year, depending on a number of factors. For example, the specific targeting of problem hot spots such as double parking in Main Street, Blacktown would increase that revenue. However proactive measures such as educational campaigns and messaging, including residential letterbox drops, contributes to increased compliance as was evident in the 2012-2013 figures.
2. Does your council intend to install parking meters in the coming 12 months? Why or why not? How many are installed in your LGA presently?
Council has no parking meters at present and no immediate plans to introduce them. There is an action under Council’s Transport Management Plan to investigate paid parking in the future.
3. Has your council increased patrols of school zones in the last 12 months? Which specifically? Was this at the behest of the principal(s), police, the public or a combination?
Council provides cover for 2 schools in the morning with 2 officers at each school and then 2 schools in the afternoon, again with 2 officers at each. We have over 110 schools in the LGA and we rotate through them on a roster basis. However, if we get complaints about specific schools, those schools are added into the next roster. We sometimes carry out joint operations with the Police Commands where Police target driving offences while council officers deal with the parking offences. Complaints come from a number of sources, including the schools themselves, local residents near schools and also parents at schools.
4. In which street in your LGA were the most infringement notices issued in the financial year 2013-14?
While we were unable to access exact data, anecdotally we believe Prince Street and Main Street in Blacktown’s CBD generated more fines. Double parking and overstaying length of permitted time to park appeared the most common offences.
5. What message would you like to convey to motorists in your LGA?
Know and abide by the road and parking rules to keep them and the community safe and avoid fines.
HOLROYD COUNCIL
1. How does your council explain the figures for the last three financial years? The Hills Council suggests it has placed an emphasis on school zone safety and therefore its revenue has fallen.
A. Over the last three financial years, Holroyd Council has implemented new hand-held technology and employed two additional Parking Officers.
2. Does your council intend to install parking meters in the coming 12 months? Why or why not? How many are installed in your LGA presently?
A. Council does not have intentions to install meters in the next 12 months. Council considers the existing parking arrangements adequate for the current needs of the community.
3. Has your council increased patrols of school zones in the last 12 months? Which specifically? Was this at the behest of the principal(s), police, the public or a combination?
A. The patrolling of school zones has always been a high priority of Council; however, there has been no increase in patrols over the last 12 months. Council does increase the patrols at some schools when required by principals, police or the public.
4. In which street in your LGA were the most infringement notices issued in the financial year 2013-14?
A. Council was not able to advise the street with the most infringement notices issued ahead of the deadline.
5. What message would you like to convey to motorists in your LGA?
A. To ensure the safety of both motorists and pedestrians, we would encourage the community to continue obeying parking signs in Holroyd.
HORNSBY COUNCIL
1. How does your council explain the figures for the last three financial years? The Hills Council suggests it has placed an emphasis on school zone safety and therefore its revenue has fallen.
Hornsby’s enforcement figures are affected by staff vacancies and changes to enforcement practices due to technology improvements and regular reviews of work practices. School safety has always been a high priority at Hornsby Shire Council.
2. Does your council intend to install parking meters in the coming 12 months? Why or why not? How many are installed in your LGA presently?
Council has no plans to install parking meters in the coming 12 months. Council is satisfied that current levels of parking demand are being effectively managed with regular enforcement. There are currently no parking meters in Hornsby Shire.
3. Has your council increased patrols of school zones in the last 12 months? Which specifically? Was this at the behest of the principal(s), police, the public or a combination?
Council’s school enforcement roster ensures all schools are regularly patrolled each term, with the frequency of patrols determined by the history of offences detected at each school. Additional patrols can be added if the school community or general public reports specific problems. Council does undertake combined operations with Police at schools where traffic as well as parking offences are prevalent.
4. In which street in your LGA were the most infringement notices issued in the financial year 2013-14?
Council does not keep this data separately.
5. What message would you like to convey to motorists in your LGA?
Motorists need to be aware of the consequences of illegal parking at schools, and the risk illegal parking poses to their fellows in the school community.
PARRAMATTA COUNCIL
1. How does your council explain the figures for the last three financial years? The Hills Council suggests it has placed an emphasis on school zone safety and therefore its revenue has fallen.
Overall, our council has higher fine revenue than neighbouring councils because we have a much larger CBD. Parking is a relatively scarce resource that needs to be shared equitably. This is why there are timed parking limits on most of our CBD streets.
It’s encouraging that more motorists are doing the right thing and obeying the rules.
Proactive patrols have continued with patrols in and around schools being increased. This is one of the reasons our parking fine revenue has fallen in the past year. It’s encouraging that more motorists are doing the right thing and obeying the rules.
2. Does your council intend to install parking meters in the coming 12 months? Why or why not? How many are installed in your LGA presently?
I can confirm there are no plans to install parking meters in the next year.
3. Has your council increased patrols of school zones in the last 12 months? Which specifically? Was this at the behest of the principal(s), police, the public or a combination?
Our Community Safety Officers (parking patrol officers and rangers) have increased the number of patrols around school zones over the past year. This is in line with our strategy of focusing on safety and helping reduce the potential for accidents involving children.
4. In which street in your LGA were the most infringement notices issued in the financial year 2013-14?
George Street, Parramatta where a total of 4375 penalty notices were issued — 13 per cent of the overall penalty notices.
5. What message would you like to convey to motorists in your LGA?
PCC Community Safety Officers look to offer a fair and just parking education and enforcement service. They are always willing to help motorists with parking queries and regularly give cautions for minor offences or those with extenuating circumstances.
We ask motorists to obey the parking rules so this resource is shared fairly and, in the case of school zones, children are kept safe.
PENRITH COUNCIL
Penrith Council has always had a focus on school zone safety because they are very busy areas of mixed traffic and pedestrian activity. Children often don’t have the same road sense as adults.
We prefer to educate and avoid any potential safety issues, but at times an infringement notice needs to be issued. We issued 120 Infringements in 2013/14.
We maintain our focus in a number of ways. We educate new parents to schools and distribute “Zero Tolerance” pamphlets. Schools also receive electronic versions to print with their regular school newsletters (see attached). We prefer to educate and avoid any potential safety issues, but at times an infringement notice needs to be issued. We issued 120 Infringements in 2013/14.
Penrith has more than 80 schools and five Parking Rangers to monitor them. Council’s rangers operate in a fair and equitable manner to provide safety around schools and in patrolling CBD areas to ensure vehicle turnover and thus available parking for customers.
There are no parking meters in the Penrith local government area and nor do we foresee that there will be in the next 12 months.