A Wollongong property owner claims confusion over a parking sign has led to people routinely blocking his driveway.
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And he said Wollongong City Council is doing nothing to fix the problem.
Bob Young owns two warehouses at the northern end of Auburn Street.
The warehouses have a wide shared driveway and right next to it is a sign allowing three-hour parking.
While parking across a driveway is illegal – and numerous drivers have been booked outside Mr Young’s properties – he said that sign makes drivers think it’s fine to park there.
“I’ve approached a number of them,” Mr Young said.
“They say, ‘mate, look at the sign, it says three-hour ticket parking’. That means I can park here. What’s your problem?’
“You either end up in an argument or you have to walk away from them.
“The only time people won’t park here is where the roller doors are open. They see them shut, they park and I can tell you it can be pretty frustrating.”
They say, ‘mate, look at the sign, it says 'three hour ticket parking’. That means I can park here. What’s your problem?'
- Bob Young
Mr Young said it had been happening for five years and he regularly called the council, who would send rangers to book the drivers for parking illegally.
But he said the council will not add a red “no parking” sign pointing in the direction of his driveway.
“The council refuses to amend the signs that allow cars to park, that advertise there is a three-hour parking position available in front of my warehouse doors,” Mr Young said.
In a response to Mr Young’s request, a council offer wrote to him stating “council has no plans to install No Parking signs across private driveways as it is already illegal to park in a way which blocks access to a property”.
However, the council car park directly across the road from Mr Young’s properties has red “no parking” signs across the driveways at both the Auburn and Atchison street entrances.
Mr Young had thought about putting a no parking sign on his warehouse doors but “I don’t see that it’s my responsibility” to stop people parking there.
“I put the blame on council,” he said.
Wollongong City Council was contacted for comment but did not reply by deadline.
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