ANGRY drivers have been let off the hook after Wagga City Council back-flipped on a decision to fine them hundreds of dollars.
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The council recently removed four 30-minute parking spaces on Fitzmaurice Street to make way for a larger bus zone outside the courthouse. A bus zone sign was erected to mark the change but the council did not remove the white parking bay lines, resulting in five drivers copping fines for parking illegally.
Wagga Ratepayers' Association's Lynne Bodell was one driver going about her daily routine of buying a newspaper last week when she was nabbed.
She said it was not until The Daily Advertiser contacted the council for comment yesterday that an attempt to remove the lines had been made. Dr Bodell said it was a classic example of "revenue raising".
"Other than moving the sign they didn't tell anyone," she said. "People who regularly park in this area would not realise the change. It wouldn't have been much to put up a sign saying changed parking conditions."
In other news:
A council spokesperson said the parking bay lines are scheduled to be removed today, but the five fines issued will be waived and motorists will receive a warning until the lines were removed.
The extension is part of a broader plan to improve public transport services.
However, businesses are left fuming at the council for cutting valuable parking spaces on the courthouse side of the road nearly in half.
Hunters owner Scott Woodhouse said council should be supporting small businesses rather than minimising quick, easy access for customers.
"We rely on people dropping in to grab a paper, lotto or magazine and keep going. That's been taken away from them and that affects our business," he said. "To take away that many spots from one block ... you cannot think it won't have an affect."
PRDnationwide Wagga commercial manager Anthony Paul said the loss of four parks meant dozens of cars a day will no longer be able to park outside the street's businesses.
"We are trying to keep the main street alive and we have a council coming along taking the car parks away," he said. "It's getting more and more difficult to find a park."
Councillor Dan Hayes said these concerns are "valid and should be considered," but there will always be "tensions and challenges" about the number of parking spaces and the time restrictions imposed. He said although these car parks were removed, the council planned to turn an unused bus zone around the corner on Johnston Street into parking.
"We often think customers only belong in cars, but public transport is a legitimate way to get customers to our business district," he said.