A petition has been circulated and a former Sunshine Coast deputy mayor has joined the chorus of widespread outrage over caravans and other recreational vehicles being allowed to park in suburban streets “for months on end”.
Fingers are being pointed at Sunshine Coast Council for allowing the situation to develop by approving estates with a proliferation of small housing lots and narrow streets.
Residents say the situation is a tragic accident waiting to happen, but the council could introduce simple solutions to avoid further road safety problems for motorists and pedestrians.
Tim Dwyer, who served as a division two councillor, said his own Shelly Beach/Moffat Beach area had experienced similar problems with recreational vehicle parking to some extent.
Recreational vehicles parked on local roads often made driving more hazardous because motorist and pedestrian vision was reduced by the size of these ‘toys’, he said.
“With a growing population, smaller lots, people unwilling to use their own property to store their own ‘toys’, it’s probably time councillors looked to remedy this situation before it creates bigger problems down the track,” Mr Dwyer said.
“Council can use timed parking to address the issue. Of course, timed parking can impact on residents and their visitors.
“However, at Beerburrum Street at Dicky Beach, council introduced ‘6-hour parking’. I believe this was due to people parking their vans, boats etc for extended periods of time.
“This ‘6-hour’ regulation is adjacent to the Dicky Beach Caravan Park.
“I believe council also has the ability to introduce a ‘passenger vehicles only’ parking regime. I recall this being discussed when I was a councillor, during a discussion on this same subject.
“As boats, jet skis, caravans etc are not passenger vehicles, the parking of them on residential streets would be illegal.”
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A spokesperson said the council considered parking and kerbside management controls in line with its Parking Management Plan and the associated Local Area Parking Plans.
“If residents have any issues or concerns about their areas, they can log a request with Council, which we will consider, investigate where warranted and provide a response,’’ the spokesperson said.
The council previously has said registered caravans, boats and allowed to park on any road in accordance with the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995, the Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Road Rules) Regulation 2009 and its Local Laws.
That spokesperson said these vehicles could remain parked unless a parking control sign was in place, indicating a time limit.
Where council received a parking complaint, officers investigated to determine if any non-compliance existed, they said.
In a letter to Sunshine Coast News, Denis Cashin highlighted the extent of the problem at the end of Barbados Way, Parrearra.
“Today, we have seven caravans, two trailers, one boat, one truck and numerous cars,” he said.
“We have been trying for over three years to get council to act on this to no avail.
“Even though they are legally parked, they block vision which causes near collisions coming out of nearby streets almost daily, not to mention the safety of pedestrians trying to cross the road to the path.
“It’s become a dumping ground and an eyesore and devaluing our property.”
His wife Rosalie has started going door to door with a petition in nearby streets to implore the council to do something more.
She told Sunshine Coast News the couple had called the council “many many times” in the past about the issue, and council officers had moved on oversized vehicles that had outstayed their welcome.
Others that were within size limits, however, remained.
“Just because it’s (recreational vehicles) legal, doesn’t mean it’s safe,” she said.
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“We’re having almost daily collisions on that corner.
“Caravans are blocking (traffic) views because they’re parked both sides of the road.
“There’s been children almost hit. I’ve nearly had accidents myself. We see it daily.”
Louie Parker also is worried about the dire consequences that could result from recreational vehicles being parked on roads in suburbia for any length of time: “Take a drive up Saleng Crescent in Warana sometime.
“It is so clogged with catamarans on trailers, caravans, box trailers parked either side of the street opposite each other etc that you need to drop your speed to ‘rolling’ (under 5kmh) so you don’t clip any of them.
“Then, add idiots parking less than 3 metres round a 90° corner, kids playing basketball in the middle of the road … talk about the ‘perfect storm’ for a tragic accident.”
John Mason is one of those who believe the council, itself, has caused the problem.
“Tell the planning department to stop allowing developers to have blocks less than 700sqm and narrow roads without verges,” he wrote in a letter to the editor.
“Council town planners are there to protect residents from developers, not to accommodate developers in their search for profits.
“None of these developments ease the rental crisis. And the ‘housing crisis’ is not cured by packing people into smaller spaces the catchphrase ‘housing crisis’ just gives developers an excuse to make more profits.
“When considering the new town plan, beware developers using ‘affordable housing’ as a way of building estates with tiny blocks (less than 700sqm) and narrow roads.”
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