1P, or not 1P? Shellharbour council to act on car park confusion

Now, Shellharbour City Council has vowed to clear up any confusion caused by a row of timed spaces in a car park that’s predominately unrestricted – by replacing signage in the area.

The Mercury this week revealed a number of drivers had been fined for overstaying the limit in a section of car park near Shellharbour City Centre’s Greater Union cinema – part of a wider council crackdown on parking-related offences.

Many motorists believed a row of one-hour spaces facing Burra Place weren’t timed, in line with the rest of the car park. However, the council said the limit had been in place since 2000.

The signs in the area indicate ‘1P’ – one-hour parking –  but don’t outline the operational (or enforceable) hours of the restriction.

Read more: Drivers ‘not fine’ after hundreds caught in Shellharbour council parking blitz

It means drivers have been slapped with fines outside of business hours, such as during a dinner out or a late-night movie.

Asked why the signs didn’t carry enforcement hours, given they are in place to help with customer turnover in nearby businesses, the council’s general manager Carey McIntyre said: “That signage is being reviewed and will be replaced.”

The Mercury can reveal 20 fines have been issued in the location outside business hours.

Mr McIntyre confirmed the one-hour limits were being policed 24/7.

“Council regulation staff are acting consistently with the signage at all times,” he said. 

Read more: Why Shellharbour’s parking fines have skyrocketed 

The council said the sign placement met Australian standards.

The mix of 1P and unrestricted spaces meant signs at entry and exit points were “not appropriate”.