Perth Voice Interactive

BAYSWATER city council has backed down from issuing $100 fines in zones that only warn of $50 pings.

On May 8 the council doubled fines and dead-keen rangers have been pinging parkers the higher fee despite some of the city’s 400-plus signs not warning of the change.

Voice reader Caroline needed a stiff drink after being slugged $100 for overstaying at the bottle-o carpark on Eighth Avenue. The sign said she’d be up for $50.

She took her complaint straight to the council and, after enduring a lengthy battle with bureaucracy—and being told the council had every right to charge the bigger fee—she says the council eventually relented and halved her fine.

But while her case was settled she’s told the Voice it’s unfair if everyone else is being slugged.

Mayor Sylvan Albert says—via an email filtered through staff—that the council has a right to charge the bigger amount because it’s written in the local law.

However, “it has decided not to issue any further increased penalty amounts where the signage has not been updated and still reflects the $50 penalty”.

“To address this issue as quickly as possible city officers are now placing stickers over the existing signs to demonstrate the new penalty amounts.”

by DAVID BELL