ORANGE motorists who overstay their parking time limit will not receive a reprieve on their fines from March 1, but might down the track.
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The state government cut parking fines by a quarter, from $112 to $80, in July last year and 18 councils and five universities opted in.
Orange City Council was not one of them, choosing to wait until design work for the future of the CBD was complete.
But with three further opt-in opportunities in June, September and December, City of Orange Traffic Committee chairman and councillor Russell Turner said the idea would have some support.
“I would be in favour of it because it’s an indication we’re trying to keep the spaces turning over and not, as often reported, revenue raising,” he said.
“I think it would still be a deterrent – people don’t get parking fines for fun.”
However, Cr Turner said the decision would be one for the entire council.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said in a statement he was not surprised by amount of interest in lowering parking fines
“They’ve been far too expensive for too long – higher than many other cities including New York and London,” he said.
“Fines should be used as deterrents, not a licence to print money.”
Three possible car park locations have been mooted as part of the CBD planning or raised by councillors or members of the public: multistorey parking at the Ophir car park site, the former CF Williams site in Peisley Street and the Moulder Park netball courts.
Cr Turner said the Ophir option made the most sense as the netball courts would have to be rezoned to allow parking.
“But it comes back to funding – it’s a multimillion-dollar project,” he said.
He believed the CF Williams option would be raised once the future joint conservatorium and planetarium gained funding and demand for parking grew.
For more details about the grace period and other parking reforms, click here.
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