Safety – Amenity – Access – Healtha

Media Release

PCA Asks Attorney-General and Ministers for Roads, Local Government and Police to Order Councils to Enforce the Law – Scandal Emerges as City of Sydney Officers Issue Only 1 Ticket in 6 Months Period

The Chairman of the PCA, Harold Scruby, said: “Following over 7 years of lobbying by the PCA and a major review of the entire NSW Penalties and Demerit Points system, the former Minister for Roads, the Hon Carl Scully issued a Media Release on 24 September 2004.  In announcing 3 Demerit Points and a $225 fine for the offence of ‘Stop on / near / children’s / pedestrian / marked foot crossing’, Mr Scully said:  ‘For the first time, Council officers will be able to issue a penalty notice for an offence that attracts demerit points … Mr Scully said the existing system needed to be reformed to achieve a ‘fairer, more safety-focused outcome’. He praised lobbying Pedestrian Council chairman Harold Scruby for his ‘persistence on being heard’ about the implementation of the new penalties..”

“This initiative had unanimous approval from all concerned, including then Opposition Leader John Brogden, NSW Police, Ministry of Police, PCA, NRMA, RTA, the NSW P&C, Council on the Ageing, NSW Council Rangers and all the Disabilities groups.  The NRMA said it welcomed the introduction of Demerit Points for parking offences because drivers generally supported the demerit point system.”  Mr Scruby added.

“Then, a new Minister for Roads, the Hon Michael Costa was appointed.  He immediately announced a hold on the implementation of all the new Penalties and Demerit Points and in early June, buckling to backdoor pressure from taxi, courier and truck unions, reduced the above penalty to $225 and 1 Demerit Point, while increasing the penalty for low-range speeding to 3 DPs (6 DPs in holiday periods).  The new penalties were finally introduced on 1 July 2005. https://www.walk.com.au/pedestriancouncil/page.asp?PageID=1156&SiteID=1

“The PCA has just received the results of our FoI (attached) detailing, by Council, the differences between the number of Infringement Notices issued for the six months prior to and following the introduction of the new penalty.  It is nothing short of a scandal.  It proves conclusively that some Councils, particularly the City of Sydney, are knowingly refusing to enforce this law and deliberately disobeying the will of Parliament.  This Council, which employs over 100 Parking Officers and Rangers, issued just 1 such penalty notice in the entire 6 months from 1 July to 31 December 2005.  Other Councils like North Sydney, the fourth largest CBD in Australia, issued 9, down from 65 in the preceding period before.  Yet we have been in regular contact with the GMs of both these Councils and have been assured, time and time again, that the Parking Officers are enforcing the law, without fear or favour.

“Other Councils, like Blacktown, Fairfield, Waverley and Liverpool, have all issued well over one hundred PINs for this offence in the same period.  During this period, we have had several meetings with Mr Peter Seamer, GM of the City of Sydney together with Mr Richard McCarthy, Manager, Transport Management, who have consistently assured us that the law is being enforced.  We have sent dozens of emails to them with photos showing literally hundreds of taxis stopped and parked in pedestrian zones.  The FoI and correspondence prove we have been deliberately misled.  And this is the same Council which issued over 26,000 Parking Meter offences in Pitt Street alone last year. This Council contains scores of Primary Schools within its boundaries.  This law was introduced to deter motorists from stopping in school pedestrian zones, to minimise risk and save lives and limbs.  Clearly, all the CoS is concerned about is Revenue-Raising – and safety be damned.  Taxi drivers stop in pedestrian zones every minute of the day in the CBD, yet CoS Parking Officers haven’t managed to book one in six months.  https://www.walk.com.au/pedestriancouncil/page.asp?PageID=1330&SiteID=1

“It is abundantly clear that the CoS and other Councils such as North Sydney have a deliberate policy to not enforce this law.  They do not wish to upset the taxi and transport lobbies.  As such, we will be writing to the Ombudsman and all relevant Ministers, asking that they force Councils to be open, transparent, consistent, fair and accountable in their enforcement of the parking laws.  Mr Scruby said.

More evidence and information: https://www.walk.com.au/admin/content_page.asp?action=edit&PageID=1367

Contact:  Harold Scruby - Tel:  (0418) 110-011 or (02) 9968-4555

Copies of just some of the correspondence with the City of Sydney relating to the issuing of Penalty Notices for the Offence of Stop On/Near Children's /Pedestrian / Marked Footcrossing.

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From: Peter Seamer [mailto:pseamer@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au]

Sent: Monday, 19 December 2005 10:33 AM

To: walking@walk.com.au

Subject: FW: Our meeting in January and Taxis Parking in Pedestrian and Bus Zones in Clarence Street (and all over the CBD)

Dear  Harold

I refer to your further representation about taxis illegally parking in the Clarence Street Bus Zone south of Jamison Street.

The City's Transport Manager Richard Campbell tells me there are some problems in trying to provide a taxi rank to the north of Jamison Street as follows:

• taxis would queue back into the intersection and also into the bus rank.  This is already a chronic problem near taxi ranks in Bent and Gresham Streets near Governor Macquarie Tower, as well as in Sussex Street near Market Street, and also in Market Street and Park Street.
• taxi passengers would try and get into taxis at the rear of the queue near the building entrance as is currently the case.  This would mean taxis would probably still stop in the bus stop area because they would be reluctant to walk up the road to the front of the queue.
• taxis would get in the way of buses especially in the peak hour as acknowledged by you in your email.
• the section proposed for the taxi rank is a part-time bus zone from 3pm to 7pm which would also interfere with bus operations.
• There is a taxi rank in Kent Street around the corner from this location which could be used.
  
  

I have asked the City's Rangers to develop an enforcement strategy for this location and I have also asked for statistics on fines issued to taxis illegally parked in the bus stop, especially those fined after 1 July 2005.

Cheers

Peter

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From: Richard Campbell [mailto:RCAMPBELL@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au]

Sent: Tuesday, 13 September 2005 10:19 AM

To: walking@walk.com.au

Cc: Peter Seamer; Catherine Hart

Subject: RE: Line of Sight: No Stopping sign in Pedestrian Zone

Dear Harold

I refer to your email with attached photos showing incorrect signs being installed near intersections near Channel Ten in Pyrmont.

City staff are currently reviewing signposting of Miller Street, Bank Street, Quarry Master Drive and Saunders Street and will replace incorrect "No Standing" and "No Parking" signs with "No Stopping" signs.  New signs are expected to be installed in 1 week.

I have asked Greg McCarthy to reply to your previous email about Rangers and the infringements near pedestrian crossings.

regards

Richard Campbell

Manager Transport Management

City of Sydney

( 9265 9391

Fax 9265 9500

TTY 9265 9276

email to: rcampbell@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

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