Signs of distress after NPAC parking fines

A line has been seemingly crossed for unsuspecting drivers fined parking outside Noble Park Aquatic Centre.

Greater Dandenong Council had removed a parking space in Memorial Drive by painting a yellow line on the kerb, but to the confusion of motorists, without updating the nearby No Parking sign.

The sign’s ‘no parking’ arrow points away from the new exclusion zone.

But the council is apparently issuing parking tickets with unerring precision.

In public question time at the council’s 25 November meeting, a Noble Park resident implored the council to show “more consideration” – issuing warnings instead of fines, changing the parking sign and communicating the change.

She called on the council to “rectify the upset” and to retract the fines over the past four weeks.

“People who work hard to be good citizens are being fined when they think they are doing the right thing.

“It’s a very busy pedestrian precinct. A bit of colour on the road could easily initially not be seen especially when the sign says that you can park there.”

Greater Dandenong’s community strengthening executive director Peta Gillies said the yellow marking was in step with the Road Safety Act, and warnings were issued in the initial two weeks.

The area would continue to be “monitored” but there were not high levels of “non-compliance”.

Gillies encouraged the resident to submit for a council review of the fine.

In what looked like a similar matter, a Dandenong magistrate earlier on the same day took umbrage at the council’s insistence in dragging a driver who parked next to a yellow line into court.

“Of course they won’t (drop the charge) – it’s the crime of the century!”

In dismissing the charge himself, the magistrate said it was “crazy” that the “infinitesimally minor matter” got to court.

“There isn’t even a parking sign there.

“The council should have better things to do.

“The law is the law but sometimes it’s an ass – 100 per cent donkey.”