Residents lash council after almost every car on Brisbane street receives fine

The state seniors netball carnival at Graceville in April saw 2000 players, their families and officials descend on the small club for four days of matches.

For some drivers who managed to find a spot on nearby Layborn Street, they received an unexpected letter in the mail weeks later.

“I got fined three times,” Fernandes Nicacio said.

Council said it fined 87 drivers and households received the $154 penalties more than a month later.

It is understood drivers received penalties as their cars were parked perpendicular to the kerb.

Residents said they have been doing for decades and there is enough room to do so but council said this is not allowed and cars should be parked parallel.

“It’s just a real revenue collector for the council,” resident Lee Gunn said.

“They’d be limiting that to 20 cars by parking parallel.”

Neighbours of the street have created their own signage to warn drivers and explain their actions.

“I quite often get people, looking at me like ‘who’s that idiot? he’s taking up three spots’,” Gunn said.

Brisbane City Council said in a statement it aims to always strike a balance between the needs of residents and attendees.

The spokesperson said council is investigating ways to allow angled parking along the stretch of road.

“Residents have been practicing common sense, it’s safe, it’s practical,” independent councillor Nicole Johnstone said.

“The simple fix for this is to put angled parking signage in and let residents park the way they have parked for decades.”