NSW government figures show the council has cracked down on parking offences, with more infringement notices handed out in the last six months of 2017 than in the entire 2016-17 financial year.

Revenue NSW data reveals 659 parking penalty notices – worth a total of $134,053 – were issued by rangers in December.

The number was 370 per cent up on November, when 140 fines were handed out, and a more than tenfold increase on the 63 infringements issued in December 2016.

More penalty notices were printed during December 2017 than in any other month in the past six years.

Some of the December-issued fines were slapped on windscreens in the car park near Shellharbour City Centre’s Greater Union cinema.

Users of the car park – bordered by Burra Place, Commemoration Place and Memorial Drive – have vented their frustration after the council targeted a row of one-hour spaces many believed was restriction-free.

Fined drivers have used a Facebook group to share their thoughts on the issue.

Katrina Gunner, who got her penalty notice on December 13, said she had worked in a business adjoining the car park for 17 years and the parking had “never ever been monitored” during that time. 

Bret Grenfell, from Dapto, and his wife were caught out on January 11 after taking their five kids to the movies.

The pair returned to discover $110 fines, for parking “continuously for longer than permitted”, on their two cars.

“If the council wants to book people that’s fine, but they should do something a bit more proactive about letting people know that you shouldn’t be parking at that point to go to the movies,” Mr Grenfell, who frequents the car park regularly, said.

He said the car park had “small one-hour parking [signs] that you’d see on the street, not what you’d usually have in a car park”.

Another driver, Michelle Johnson, said the signs were “extremely minuscule and very sneakily done”.

“Dozens and dozens of people are getting fined left, right, and centre for a car park that has always been free,” she said.

The council’s director of community and customers, Melissa Boxall, refuted that claim.

Ms Boxall said time-limited parking was introduced when the car park opened in 2000 to “facilitate customer turnover for businesses”.  

Signs in the area were raised, and trees lopped, to improve visibility in May last year.

Ms Boxall said the signage was within the necessary guidelines, but would be reviewed by the council’s traffic committee. 

“We are aware of community concerns and there is a need to address recent vandalism of the signage in the area,” she said.

Signs have been spray-painted in protest.

A Shellharbour City Council chief has aired concern over a spike in the number of parking fines issued by its rangers and has vowed to crack down further on “poor and unsafe” practices. 

Data from Revenue NSW showed the council’s rangers issued 659 fines in December last year – 519 more than the previous month and more than 10 times the number issued in December 2016.

The figures revealed the number of fines handed out during the last month of 2017 was the highest monthly figure since the start of 2012. The data for January 2018 has not yet been made available. 

Asked about the significant jump in fines issued in recent months, the council’s director of community and customers, Melissa Boxall, confirmed it had bolstered its enforcement actions.

“Management determined there was a need for additional resources to be allocated to our regulation services over the peak holiday season to address matters such as road safety, poor parking and driver behaviour,” Ms Boxall said.

“It was also to ensure adequate resources were available to address critical issues that present themselves at this time of year including the collection of stray dogs, dog attacks, illegal camping and antisocial behaviour.

“The number of parking infringements issued over this period concerns council and has highlighted the extent of poor and unsafe parking practices and this will be given further consideration.”

Parking penalties are set by the NSW government and can’t be varied by council.