Jennifer Pittorino
For the two years that Karl Ferg has lived at his Altona North property he has obeyed the stringent parking regulations, but it appears not everyone is required to.
One-hour parking is common in Hobsons Bay, and something the residents have adjusted to with the help of council parking permits.
Living in a newly developed area, Mr Ferg’s block is close to numerous townhouse developments and therefore an increase in trade vehicles.
“All day, six days a week these vehicles are parked there without ramifications,” he said.
Understanding that tradespeople are only doing their jobs, Mr Ferg directs his question to Hobsons Bay council asking “Are trade vehicles exempt from the parking restrictions?”
“If you are putting the street restrictions out for a reason you need to impose the restrictions.
“You put those signs up for a reason so if you don’t believe that those restrictions exist then just remove them because it is causing a lot of confusion.”
Mr Ferg believes that council has no understanding or consideration for people living in development areas.
“The one hour parking is obviously because it is a busy area so why are they not actually enforcing it?” said Mr Ferg.
“I asked council if there is an exemption for trade vehicles because of the lack of enforcement in high construction areas, they never answered me.”
Mr Ferg believes that residential streets are being overlooked.
“If I was to park all day on Nelsons Parade I would probably get several parking tickets,” he said.
“It seems to be a thing where they either don’t care or they just don’t visit residential streets.”
“If you’re building a house for months and months and months it still doesn’t give you the right to hog all the car spots.”
A Hobsons Bay council spokesperson said, “Tradespeople can apply for a temporary parking permit that allows them to park close to the site where they are working”.
