A cutting-edge vehicle is being rolled out by a local council to curb illegal parking.
Patrols will be able to target drivers who outstay time limits in busy precincts and park unlawfully around schools.
Noosa Council local laws and environmental health manager Rob Smith said the vehicle would help ensure “everyone gets a fair go” in the shire’s car parks.
“The latest number plate recognition and vehicle positioning technology installed in the new hybrid vehicle enables council’s parking officers to monitor turnover in Noosa’s high-demand parking areas,” he said.
“Vehicle patrols will also focus on drivers who ignore safety markings such as yellow lines and no-stopping restrictions.
“It is able to detect offences far more efficiently than traditional parking patrol methods (by) taking highly targeted images on the move, in all weather conditions and at night.
“The system can also identify whether a vehicle has overstayed the permitted time by comparing the images taken each time it patrols the area.
“Better parking regulation supports businesses who rely on the regular turnover of parking for their customers, and residents and visitors who rely on drivers not overstaying so that everyone gets fair access to our busy precincts.
“Meanwhile, unsafe parking around schools during drop-off and pick-up times also puts families at greater risk of accidents which are completely avoidable.”
The new initiative is part of a long-running quest to clamp down on illegal parking in the shire, which can be packed with tourists.
The vehicle captures high-quality images of parked vehicles and records the location, registration number and time. Images of vehicles are included on infringement notices.
“The technology in this vehicle will bring us into line with many other councils across Australia, including South-East Queensland,” Mr Smith said.
“It allows us to monitor parking availability and regulate far more efficiently than ever before.
“Other benefits include helping to ensure the safety of our staff by reducing the likelihood of them becoming the target of violence and aggression while doing their job.”
The information collected is held securely and only used for parking compliance and strategies to improve parking.
Any images of people and other vehicles captured are automatically blanked out by the system to protect their privacy.
Council will continue to encourage all drivers to educate themselves about regulated parking areas, where to park and the time limits that apply, with further information available via council’s website or the QR code on the side of the vehicle.
To help drivers get used to the new arrangements, council will only issue warning notices for a two-week period for non-safety-related offences. Drivers who are issued with an infringement or a warning will receive them by post.
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