Parking trap for unsuspecting Cowes’ customers

A REGULAR contributor to Phillip Island Notice Board, “Darren J” highlighted a parking anomaly over the weekend in the newly refurbished north end of Thompson Avenue that might not even be legal.

The Bass Coast Shire Council has introduced seasonal parking restrictions in the popular shopping and café strip that literally change from one day to the next.

Is it reasonable, for example, that people parking in the street should know the time limit on parking changes from one hour to half-an-hour at midnight on October 31 each year?

If not, council might have a problem with the provisions of Australian administrative law and the issue of “legal unreasonableness” while also having problems with issuing tickets for those who overstay by not allowing them “procedural fairness”.

Darren J’s beef isn’t with the legal aspect of the restriction. He just wants to know if people think half-an-hour is enough time to patronise local business in the area.

“From November to April you have ½-hour parking between 9 AM and 5 PM... not really a lot of time to patronise the local business down in this area.

“Between May and October, you have one-hour parking between 9 AM and 5 PM.

“Do you feel these parking times are sufficient?” he asks.

What do you think? Make comment HERE