Automatic parking fine cameras - Victoria

[King Nothing]

Geez you victorians must sure love your cameras.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22253450-2,00.html

NUMBER plates of city motorists who park illegally could be photographed, giving them no way out of a fine.

Melbourne City Council is interested in the photo-fine concept, which has reaped millions in Britain.

Under one plan, parking inspectors would be armed with cameras; another concept would involve automated cameras snapping cars parked illegally.

The council snared $60 million in parking revenue last financial year.

Recent changes to parking rules are tipped to deliver another $1 million a year - but still the council wants more.

It has ordered a review of faulty parking meters after revenue fell $9 million short of expectations.

Finance committee chair councillor Brian Shanahan said automated-camera parking fines could be considered.

"It's something that we would think to look at," he said.

Melbourne is one of several councils to consider snapping illegally parked motorists using a network of cameras.

Debate hinges on whether it is cheaper to employ more ticket inspectors or replace them with elevated cameras trained on parking bays.

Australian Services Union secretary Brian Parkinson said MCC bureaucrats were planning to install software on ticketing devices that would let inspectors download images captured on cameras.

"It would help them, because if people are objecting, the council will back our members," he said.

"It will help them do their job."

Cr Shanahan said parking fine and fee revenue had slumped to $60 million in the 2007 financial year - $5 million down from the previous year and $9.1 million below budget forecasts.

Changing commuter trends were behind the plunge.

"We may have to accept that since fewer people are coming in by car, parking is not going to be what it once was for us," Cr Shanahan said.

He said faulty parking meters dudded the council of about $1.5 million a year, and a report was being compiled.

"We're concerned about the increasing number of faulty machines," he said.

[Jason[98.EL]]

old news for us here in geelong all the by-laws officers carry a digi camera all the time

they take a pic of all cars illegally parked.:

jason

[Tote]

Same in Canberra, digicams carried by parking officers.
Regards,
Tote

[Charliewool]

Footscray already has in-road automatic devices! See below...

The Maribyrnong City Council is testing electro-magnetic parking detection devices in what is believed to be an Australian first.

About 250 of the devices, called PODS for Parking Overstay Detection Systems, have been buried in parking spaces across Footscray for a 12-month trial.

Council spokesman Nick Foa, said the small cylindrical devices, which are about 7.5 centimetres long and 2.5 centimetres in diameter, had been embedded in the concrete below parking bays of various time limits for six months.

He said the device detected when a vehicle came into the bay and when it left. When a parking officer came within 10 metres of the device, he received a message to a hand-held computer telling him how long the car had been parked there. Mr Foa said the devices would not be used to issue penalties during the trial because parking officers were testing their accuracy against the present method of chalking tyres.

He denied that the devices could raise the council's revenue from parking infringements, saying they were being trialled for occupational health and safety reasons.

"We don't believe we will get increased revenue out of this, we think it will just help us with our planning and managing the health and safety of our staff," he said.

He said the council was looking for a safer way to monitor parking, rather than having officers walking about in moving traffic marking tyres. He said the devices would also allow the council to gather data on patterns of parking in the suburb, allowing the council to review signage and time limits.

[devilracer_01]

Victoria is like a gaint Big Brother :

[chevypower]

Ahh well, i can take comfort in the fact i am moving overseas. No cameras, no tolls, lower income taxes, higher speed limits, cheaper fuel, cheaper cars, more and bigger freeways!

[Kryton]

Originally Posted by charliewool

"We don't believe we will get increased revenue out of this, we think it will just help us with our planning and managing the health and safety of our staff," he said.

spend all this money so it doesnt earn you any more money?
sure. :

[Hunter]

I think some people deserve parking fines. People who park in spots that are clearly signed as not to park there deserve all the punishment they get. Same applies to dheads who park in front of fire hydrants or clearways.

[3vXT]

^^^ True, unfortunately there is always going to be people jumping up and down about anything related to cameras and fines and how the money should really be spent on something that will result in them not being fined for breaking the law.

[Bill M]

One of the problems with this approach is that the council in Kew is reducing the number of all day parking spaces. So you have to go out and move your car every 2 hours before the prowling inspectors slap a ticket on them. Its a real pain if you work and actually contribute services to the area. Cameras are the last thing we need!
cheers
Bill.

[Elks]

This is why we allways have to dress well down here, we are forever being photographed.

[Bosman]

Originally Posted by heljas

old news for us here in geelong all the by-laws officers carry a digi camera all the time

they take a pic of all cars illegally parked.:

jason

Thats just 1 of many reasons why i loath the COGG (City of Greater Geelong) council. In my eyes and many others, the council by laws officers are just 007 wannabes or glorified dole bludgers.....rate payer funded/tax funded. And as a business owner in the Geelong area , the way parking knobs execute fines is absurd. Jeez i sound like a whinger!.....now i'll shut up and not bag our council. But remember the council logo, Geelong the Smart move? Just dont park here. :togo:

[GTpilot]

nothing new, I think MCC are just behind the time I have seen heaps of other council inspectors with Cameras.

[Laminge]

Moonee ponds already has these little gadgets, was speaking to the parking inspector the other day and he reckons that in one street alone revenue has increased over 500%

What type of power is required to reverse polarity of a magnet?

[pauljh74]

Parking fines have gone from a deterrent to a relied upon source of revenue. The councils shouldn't be relying on this source of revenue to balance the books and use it only to enforce parking rules.

I suppose with State Governments setting the precedent many years ago with speed cameras, there's no hope of any other government body acting any differently.

[XCSEDAN]

money money money
is that all anyone gives a rats bum about now?
seriously how bout they stop spending so much of it on functions!!!!
there u go 9.5mil back in your hip pocket....
i really really really really really am sick of this government, im thinking of starting my own party....
calling it "cut the crap give me facts" party or something...

[MeestaNob!]

Sounds good to me.

If you dont like it, STOP BREAKING THE LAW.

[Bill M]

Originally Posted by MeestaNob!

Sounds good to me.

If you dont like it, STOP BREAKING THE LAW.

A simplistic response to what is a real issue, the councils are creating a problem by reducing available parking (read my earlier post) and in the case of Monash council allowing businesses to pay a waiver fee to reduce onsite carparking therefore creating more congestion and competition for fewer carparks, so more motorists get booked. Council creates its own financial windfall... Get it Mr Nob?