More than 2000 Wagga drivers were slapped with parking fines in the space of five months last year, with most stung for overstaying the timed-parking limit.
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The latest Revenue NSW data reveals 2071 fines were issued by Wagga City Council's parking rangers between July and November.
In the same period in 2019, there were 1493 fines issued. A total of 923 fines were handed out during the same period in 2018.
Sommer Deaves, owner of the Wellness Co, said her staff have been stung multiple times by the parking fines and she has noticed a definite increase in the parking inspector presence.
The business on Johnston Street is surrounded by mainly one or two-hour parking, with nearby all day parking often filling up early in the morning.
"One of our girls has gotten five parking fines," she said.
Ms Deaves said it is frustrating that the number of fines being handed out are going up, and her attempts to discuss the problem with council are fruitless.
"It is having an impact on our business, and I actually did a social media poll with our clientele to see hat impact it is having," she said.
"Eighty-eight per cent of our clients said they would not walk 20 minutes to their appointment due to lack of parking nearby.
"Ninety-three percent said convenient parking is one of the reasons they would attend a service-based appointment and 87 per cent said they get service-based treatments that are longer than two hours."
Ms Deaves has faced backlash for voicing her frustrations, with people calling her "fat and lazy", but that has not stopped her from trying to get it fixed.
"It does feel like revenue raising when it feels like we can't get a solution," she said.
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"Several new agreements with property owners were put in place expanding ranger patrols," she said.
"Whilst there was an increase in numbers from 2018 to 2020 we are pleased with the positive community behaviour in abiding with parking time limits as this is still lower infringement numbers to years prior to 2018."
Ms Summerhayes said the income generated by these fines goes towards operational costs and is directed back into local community infrastructure priorities such as car parking.
In response to concerns of "revenue raising" that are often voiced, Ms Summerhayes said council provides patrolled timed parking to all members of the community.
"This ensures an equitable use of parking spaces across the LGA," she said.
"Private business owners also engage council at no cost, to patrol their car parks so that, there is equitable parking for all of their customers.
"Rangers patrol, on and off street parking to ensure compliance with the Local Government Act 1993 that provides equitable parking for all of the community."
The figures from Revenue NSW show only 13 fines were issued in April and May last year, a number attributed to the COVID-19 lockdown with residents choosing to limit their movement into the city.
Ms Summerhayes said the majority of parking fines issued are for overstaying in timed parking both on and off street.
"Wagga City Council is also one of the few council's in NSW that has opted-in for the reduction in fines from $116.00 to $83.00 for most common offences," she added.
"This includes overstay parking time."