But the University of Wollongong is offering some relief, joining in the NSW Government’s new “grace period” for parking which starts today, giving motorists 10 minutes after their parking tickets expire before they can be fined.

This applies only for “non-safety-related” tickets and only after one hour has been paid for.

“People shouldn’t have their day ruined or their weekly budget compromised for a slight delay in returning to their car,” Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said.

But the move was criticised as a stunt, given it is councils and universities are the main bodies which issue most parking fines.

Wollongong City Council said it already applies a grace period of about ten minutes before rangers fine people who have overstayed.

As for the call to cut fines from $112 to $80, a council spokesman said lowering parking fees would have to go a full council meeting before it could be approved.

“Council’s fees and charges are considered in the first quarter of each year as part of its annual planning process,” a spokesman said.

“Currently, council’s rangers do apply a grace period – about 10 minutes – for drivers who have overstayed in paid parking as part of their daily work practices.”

But the University of Wollongong will bring in the grace period, as well as cutting the fine price from March 1, a spokesman confirmed on Thursday.

“The grace period is in line with what has been normal practice in UOW’s enforcement of casual ticket parking for many years,” the spokesman said.

“An announcement of UOW’s decision to ‘opt in’ to reduce parking fines, together with details of the changed fines, will be published on the university’s website prior to their implementation on March 1.

“These measures apply to casual ‘pay and display’ parking at its Wollongong campuses.”

The change would not apply in Shellharbour, as Mayor Marianne Saliba has said the city does not have any paid parking. Ms Saliba has said the treasurer had “shot off his mouth”.