THE grace period for drivers who overstay parking time limits is over.
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From Tuesday inspectors using a council vehicle with the number plate recognition technology will begin issuing fines of $106 to people who stay parked for longer than permitted.
For the last month parking inspectors using the vehicle have registered about 50 cars per day over-staying the time limit and those drivers received a warning.
But time is up says Orange councillor and traffic committee chairman Russell Turner.
“The high visibility of the car is really working,” he said.
“Parking officers have registered about 50 people per day but by the time they park the car, check the vehicle for disability stickers, quite often the owners have come running over to move their car.
“So they’re issuing warnings for about 20 drivers per day.”
Cr Turner said that figure was an increase in the number of drivers caught, previously foot patrols caught about 10 to 15 per day.
He rebuked claims that the technology was used to increase revenue.
“Anyone who gets a fine for anything says it’s just revenue raising,” he said.
“What it comes down to is, more parks means more customers for businesses, which is a good thing.”
Parking officers have given repeated warnings to “selfish business owners” who consistently park their cars out the front of their business premises but Cr Turner said they would not get away with it anymore.
The vehicle can canvass far greater distances than foot patrols, as such it can get to every parking area in town, every day, Cr Turner says.
For example, Anson Street between Kite Street and Moulder Street was a hot spot for people over-staying the time limits because foot patrol parking inspectors were lucky to reach the area once or twice a fortnight.
During the last month, parking inspectors have hit the area daily.
“You can look around and see it is making a difference,” Cr Turner said.
“There are spaces available everywhere.”
Cr Turner said central business district workers should take advantage of the all day parking areas in town such as parts of the Summer Centre car park, a William Street car park between Byng and March streets, the car park behind the Parkview Hotel, the car park in Endsleigh Avenue and the Sale Street car park, rather than using timed spaces closer to work.
The all-day car park in Little Summer Street behind the fire station had dozens of free car parks on Thursday mid-morning.
nicole.kuter@fairfaxmedia.com.au