Parking
City of Prospect promotes a safe environment for the community.
By parking correctly and observing traffic and parking signs, you can help to ensure the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
Council is obligated by law to manage parking, and at times may issue expiation notices for offences under the Australian Road Rules.
Council's General Inspectors may educate motorists when the opportunity arises. The Community Standards team participates in a road safety education program for schools, including the State Government Safe Routes to School program. Many of our schools in the Prospect area have under gone specialised traffic management assessments, and Council has implemented changes to improve child safety around schools.
The changes include:
- Installation of emu crossings
- Better parking arrangements for parents
- Drop off and pick up zones
- New line marking
- Clearer and more parking signage
On street parking
On street parking is available for all residents and members of the public. There is no priority for residents to park directly in front of their premises.
People utilising on street parking need to ensure they park legally and in accordance with the Australian Road Rules.
On street parking on public holidays
Under Section 318 of the Australian Road Rules - Limited effect of certain traffic control devices, sub clause (3):
“If information on a traffic control device that is in place indicates that it applies on a particular day of the week, the device does not have effect on a day that is a public holiday for the place unless information on the device states otherwise.
Example— If a loading zone sign indicates that it applies on Monday to Friday between 9 am and 4 pm and information on or with the sign does not indicate that it applies on public holidays, the sign does not have effect on any public holiday falling on a Monday to Friday."
This means that that timed parking does not apply on a public holiday unless the sign specifically states that it does.
City of Prospect does not have any timed parking restrictions that state they specifically apply on public holidays within our council area.
Residential Parking Permits
If a residential property does not have any car parking spaces, you are eligible to apply for a Residential Parking Permit.
An annual fee applies to all residential Parking Permit Applications as per Councils Fees and Charges Register for the current financial year.
Find out more about Parking Permits
Penalties and payment
Under the Expiation of Offences Act, infringement notices don’t need to be attached to vehicles. Details of the offence may be taken and an expiation notice posted to the registered owner of the vehicle. On occasions, it is not safe for a General Inspector to place a notice on a vehicle for various reasons. These may include heavy traffic conditions, the offender may have driven off before the notice could be placed, or adverse weather conditions which may endanger the safety of the General Inspector.
Late fees may be added to any expiation if payment is not made within 28 days. Failure to pay an expiation to Council may result in the expiation being referred to the Fines Enforcement and Recovery Unit where further penalties may apply.
If you believe the parking fine issued is incorrect, unfair, or where there is a legitimate reason to have been illegally parked, an application for waiving the offence can be lodged (with supporting evidence) in writing.
Application to Waive Parking Expiation
If you need the expiation to be reissued to a different driver or vehicle owner, you will need to download and lodge a Nomination Form.
Nomination Form: Different Driver or Vehicle Owner
Payment for parking offences may be made via Online Payments, by mail, by phone or in person at Payinthi (128 Prospect Road, Prospect).
All fees associated with offences against the Australian Road Rules are determine by the State Government and reviewed on an annual basis. Councils do not set or have input into the fee structure.
Applications can be made to the Fines Enforcement and Recovery Unit for a payment arrangement to pay fines by instalments or in full at a later date. A small upfront arrangement fee may be applicable. Contact Fines Enforcement and Recovery Unit on 1800 659 538 for additional information, or visit the Fines Enforcement and Recovery Unit website.
Parking signs and restrictions
We have installed a variety of parking restrictions throughout the city to ensure safe and equal access to parking spaces for all.
These parking restrictions are in line with the South Australian Road Rules and are displayed on signage covering an area. These restrictions may be active from different parts of the day to maximise parking opportunities for everyone
The Australian Road Rules are part of the Road Traffic Act, and are not set by City of Prospect. To ensure these restrictions are followed, Council will issue Expiation Notices to vehicles who have parked illegally.
It is the responsibility of the driver to read the parking signs each time they park in an area and before leaving their vehicle.
A guide to parking in City of Prospect
Parking seems straight forward, but surprisingly there are a number of laws that many motorists are unaware of.
Below are some of the common rules that seem to catch people out, so please read on to avoid unnecessary fines. By parking legally, you’ll help keep our city safe too!
Please note that the State Government and not Council are responsible for setting the fees applicable to parking fines.
It’s not only yellow lines you need to check for before parallel parking - look out for white lines too!
A three metre gap needs to be maintained between the side of your car and any solid white line in the middle of the road.
People often think they’re doing the right thing by parking their car half on a nature strip, with two wheels straddling the kerb, particularly where the road is narrow.
However, according to the Australian Road Rules, this common practice is not allowed. Motorists can't park on a nature verge, footpath, shared path or dividing strip, unless there’s a sign saying otherwise.
You can’t drive on the wrong side of the road, and you can’t park there either!
When parallel parking on a road, you must be facing the same direction as moving traffic, otherwise you’re breaking the law.
You can't park across a driveway, but you can park right up to the invert so long as you’re not blocking a vehicle from entering or exiting the driveway.
Be mindful that in narrow streets, parking up to the invert could cause access problems for residents, so be courteous and always consider the lay of the land before you park.
If your vehicle is more than 7.5m long in total (such as towing a trailer or caravan), then you can't park on the road in a built-up area for more than one hour.
If you are coming around a bend and cars are parked too close to the intersection, it could be dangerous, particularly if passengers are getting in or out of the parked vehicle. Therefore, it makes sense that parking within 10 metres of an intersection that does not have traffic lights is illegal.
Where there are traffic lights, this distance increases to 20 metres.
City of Prospect has six schools within the council district. At all schools you'll find a No Stopping area or an area with parking restrictions during school hours. Drivers parking in restricted areas may cause blind spots for other motorists and create dangerous situations for school children.
Please pay special attention to dropping off or picking up people in areas that are marked with a continuous yellow edge line. Motorists cannot stop on a continuous yellow edged line.
Drivers should avoid obstructing crossing places or entrances as this may impede movement of vehicles.
Time limit zones apply to some Council-owned car parks and streets. They've been set to keep car parks available for shoppers and residents and shouldn't be used for all day parking.
Most time zones are located on the main roads and side streets off the main roads. Please check the signs carefully before parking.
These zones are regularly patrolled by our General Inspectors.
In most car parks, around schools and some streets, parking areas are reserved for holders of a disability parking permit. The permit must be displayed in the vehicle when parked in such a reserved area to avoid fines.
Permits may be obtained from the Motor Registration Division of the Department of Transport.
Bicycle lanes help cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians to share the road with greater safety and allow a smoother traffic flow. They're indicated by painted lines, bicycle symbols and bicycle lane signs, or the word 'lane' painted in white.
Bicycle lane and clearway lane times vary, so ensure you check the signage whenever parking. Some bicycle lanes only operate during certain times of the day, which can be recognised by the addition of operating times to the sign. Any bicycle or clearway lane that does not have specific times on the sign, operates at all times. The regulations for both a clearway and a bicycle lane are the same.
Motorists are not to stop or drive in these zones for any reason other than an emergency during the allocated times. The clearways and bicycle lanes have been developed by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport.
For the safety of cyclists, it's against the law to park or stop in a bike lane during the hours of operation. This includes dropping off or picking up passengers. The fine associated with breaking this law, set by the State Government, is significant, so avoid getting caught out and check the signs before stopping or parking.
A vehicle is not correctly parked if it is not aligned as closely as practical to the kerb. A vehicle also must be positioned so it is not facing the opposite direction of traffic.
Stopping a vehicle for the purpose to pick up or drop off passengers in between vehicles or in the centre of the road is commonly known as double parking. This is a dangerous practice, and it is an offence.
It is an offence to leave semi-trailers and trucks parked on any roadway within City of Prospect for longer than one hour if they exceed 7.5 meters in length or 4.5 tonnes in weight.
When a vehicle is left in the same stationary position for more than 24 hours, Council may act to establish whether the vehicle is abandoned, stolen or presenting an immanent or environmental hazard. In these instances, Council may impound the vehicle without notice.
If a vehicle is impounded, costs are charged for the recovery, including towing and storage fees. Stolen vehicles will be reported to the police and where possible returned to the owners.
Vehicles registered to a nearby address can park lawfully for extended periods of time in untimed parking areas.
If you would like any more information on any parking related matters within City of Prospect, please contact us by phone on (08) 8269 5355, or via email at admin@prospect.sa.gov.au.