More than 1000 people were fined for parking illegally in Shellharbour during December and January last year.
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Residents and visitors forked out more than $227,000 to pay those fines.
Shellharbour City Council wants to see those numbers reduced this holiday period.
It has launched a new campaign to help motorists avoid parking fines during the summer season.
The campaign will focus on safety and urges drivers to take extra care when parking their vehicles.
Parking patrol officers will apply a risk-based approach to parking enforcement and will target dangerous parking practises that put pedestrians and other road users at risk.
Shellharbour Deputy Mayor John Murray said the council did not want to issue fines but it was necessary when people parked irresponsibly or dangerously.
Instead he would rather see motorists educated to ensure the community remained safe.
“A parking fine is one ‘gift’ you don’t want to receive this Christmas, so allow yourselves extra time and park legally,” Cr Murray said.
“Shopping centres and commercial precincts, the foreshore and beaches attract a large number of people at this time of year and finding parking may be more difficult.”
In the past year from October, almost 2,500 fines were issued in the city, which totalled $650,000.
Council staff reminded motorists that parking in red zones “NO STOPPING” and “NO PARKING” areas endangered other road users and reduced visibility in high volume areas.
“Parking on a footpath or nature strip obstructs pedestrians from safely walking next to a road, forcing people to risk oncoming traffic in order to pass these illegally parked vehicles,” Cr Murray said.
“Motorists parked in these areas may be fined.”
In February, the Mercury revealed the council had cracked down on parking offences across the city, with its rangers issuing more fines in December than in any other month in the past six years.
Community and customers director Melissa Boxall said the council received “relatively very little revenue” from parking fines once the enforcement costs are deducted.
Parking fine revenue for the 2016/17 financial year represented 0.003 (or 0.3 of 1%) of council’s operating revenue.
Money collected through infringement notices goes to council’s general revenue and funds a range of services, programs and infrastructure for the community.
According to Revenue NSW figures, Shellharbour CBD also has one of the highest rates in the region of able-bodied people using accessible parking spots reserved for people with disabilities.
Council staff have asked people to be thoughtful of others by parking responsibly in order to avoid a fine and points off their licence too.