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2:52PM Tuesday 02 December, 2008

Pensioner fights market park fine

30 September 2008

| By Grant Reynolds

A fed-up pensioner has decided to take the council to task over what he calls unfair parking regulations.

Peter Andrews said he copped an $80 parking fine after he pulled into what he thought was a vacant spot at the Noosa Farmer’s Markets.

The problem was the line was not visible while other cars were parked along that section of Weyba Road and there were no signs indicating that it was a no parking area, Mr Andrews said.

“I’m prepared to absorb the court costs to make my case and that of all the other citizens,” he said.

Mr Andrews said the confusion could easily be resolved by placing a sign at each end of the no parking area.

“Council has it in their power to solve the problem,” he said.

“Fining people attacks the effect and not the cause.

“The cause is you can’t see the yellow line.”

Noosa Farmer’s Markets’ Shane Stanley said the situation wasn’t as bad as it was when the lines were first put down, and he said he was going to put up blackboards to help drivers avoid an extra bill from their visit to the markets.

“It’s an easy problem to fix and it just gives council a bad name,” he said.

“Even if they bring the sign to us, we’ll stick put it in.

“It’s almost a joke.

“You have to wonder about their motives.”

Mr Stanley said a Palmwoods tropical flower grower and ex-policeman who went to Noosa when he had extra stock was also preparing the fight a council-issued fine in court.

“These people are prepared to spend their money and take them council) to court for the principle,” Mr Stanley said.

Manger of public order and safety Ron Thomas said people issued with fines could elect to have the matter heard in court, which he suspected was the case with Mr Andrews.

Mr Thomas said the council was not obligated to erect signs but had done so in certain areas in the interest of community safety.

“We’re only required to place a yellow line,” he said.

“Drivers are obligated to make sure they park where it’s legal.

“It’s certainly not a revenue- raising exercise.

“It just frustrating. Drivers think they have a God-given right to park where ever they want.”

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