Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Parking

Parking regulations within Mount Barker District Council are aimed to ensure that our roads are safe, that traffic and public transport flows smoothly and that people with special requirements have adequate access to facilities.

The enforcement of parking regulations is regulated by state law and is the same for all councils.

Signage is provided in many situations, but in others it is the responsibility of driver's to know the rules.

Council has produced a handy booklet for Parking here.

Parking Around Schools

Due to the chaotic nature of traffic around schools at peak times streets around our schools can be an extremely dangerous place for children.

Young children have not yet fully developed their cognitive abilities and their perception, judgement and awareness of potentially dangerous situations is not adequately developed to enable them to cope or assess the road traffic.

Children are not always easily visible and can sometimes act impulsively, which means if you are driving around a school please take special care, to ensure we keep our children safe. Remember that children copy grown-ups - encourage good road sense by watching them closely and leading by example.

For more information, including helpful tips and parking examples, please download our safe parking around schools brochure.

Safe Parking Around Schools Brochure(669 kb)

Disability Parking

In most car parks and some streets, parking areas are reserved for holders of disability parking permits only. If you hold a current disability parking permit, the permit must be displayed on the vehicle whenever the vehicle is parked in a disability parking bay.

Disability parking permits can be completed online at: www.sa.gov.au/topics/driving-and-transport/disability/disability-parking-permit

Private Parking

Mount Barker District Council patrols a number of Private Car Parks in order to ensure the regular turnover of customers, it is imperative that a time limit is set on each car parking zone. If the driver of a vehicle enters a Private Car Park they are agreeing to abide by the rules and terms set out on the “conditions of entry” placed at each entrance of the car park. If you exceed the amount of time allowed for free parking you may be issued with an expiation.

Because of the danger of obstructing drivers' views, it is an offence to park a vehicle within 10 metres of an intersection or the junction of streets or roads. The 10 metres measurement is taken from the edge of the gutter.

A driver must not stop within 20 metres of the approach to a bus stop and within 10 metres of the departure of a bus stop, or in a bus zone to which bus zone signs have been installed unless the driver is driving a public bus. Bus stops are provided by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) along public bus corridors.

The public bus service forms a critical part of the greater metropolitan transport network. Vehicles parked in Bus zones and adjacent to bus stops (whether or not a Bus was in the zone at the time that another vehicle stopped in the zone) have the capacity to adversely affect the accessibility and timeliness of busses.

As soon as the vehicle comes to a stop in a Bus Zone or adjacent to a Bus Stop the offence has been committed.

The Mount Barker District Council has a legal obligation to enforce the Australian Road Rules (Section 197), which includes the regulation of vehicles stopped and parked on a nature strips (commonly known as the verge).

In addition to the legal obligation, Council also undertakes this regulation for the following important reasons;

  • To prevent damage to community assets
  • To facilitate safe visibility and efficient movement of pedestrians and vehicles
  • To assist clear access for emergency vehicles/personnel to key infrastructure such as water, sewage, gas, telecommunications and drainage pipes
  • To promote unrestricted access for wheelchair, scooter and pram users
  • To enable free movement of vehicles in and out of their properties
  • To enable the healthy growth of trees to provide shade for path and road users and for a cooler community
  • In response to community concerns and on complaint regarding the unsafe parking practices of motorists.

Whilst motorists may sometimes park their vehicle on the nature strip because they assess this space to be safer than parking on the road, parking fully or partially on a nature strip or a footpath, regardless of the intention, is illegal under the Australian Road Rules.

A driver must not stop on a road in a position that obstructs access by vehicles or pedestrians to or from a footpath ramp or a similar way of access to a footpath, or a bicycle path or passageway.

Vehicles parked on paths cause pedestrians and other path users to deviate onto the road or onto unpaved areas. Additionally, paths are not constructed with vehicles in mind and may result in additional maintenance costs.

No Stopping Signs and Continuous yellow lines are routinely installed in areas where it is unsafe or in-appropriate for a motorist to stop.

It is an offence is a vehicle is observed to bestopped in a "No Stopping zone” or on a "Solid Yellow Line", even if the vehicle only stops for a short time (such as to allow a passenger to enter to alight from the vehicle).

As soon as the vehicle comes to a stop the offence has been committed.

The obstruction of fire hydrants and fire plugs is an offence. It is illegal to park in front of a fire plug or hydrant, including in front of private residences.  Fire plugs need to be kept clear so that they are easily accessible by emergency services in the event of a fire.

Many parking spaces in an around busy commercial and some residential zones have had Time Limit restrictions installed so as to ensure that drivers move their vehicles on a regular basis. The underlying reason for the installation of such time limits is an attempt to ensure that ample parking spaces are available for those motorists who need them most - short term visitors to the area or customers needing the services of local businesses.

Time limits apply to some private car parks and also to some public streets within the Council area. They have been set to keep car parks available for shoppers and should not be used for all-day parking.

A vehicle is deemed not parallel parked if it is not aligned as closely as practicable with the line of the kerb. Furthermore, it is an offence to park a vehicle so that it is facing opposite the legal driving direction on the side of the road that it is parked.

Parking between a parked vehicle and the centre of the road to pick up or drop off is an offence.

This section includes the following offences:

Fail to park in direction of lawful travel
The driver must position the vehicle to face in the direction of travel. Vehicles parked "Facing the wrong way" need to be driven across on the wrong side of the roads to rejoin the traffic, possibly causing a hazard to themselves and other road users.

Not as near as practicable, to the far left side of the road
If the road is a two-way road, the driver must position the vehicle parallel, and as near as practicable, to the far left side of the road. Vehicles not parked as near as practicable, to the far left side of the road may cause a hazard to other road users.

Park too close to a dividing strip or solid white line
Dividing strips (or lines) are commonly installed near intersections or in areas where the driver may not be able to see oncoming traffic. The driver of a parked vehicle must ensure that at least three (3) metres is left between the outside edge of the vehicle and the line which is marked on the road.

Fail to park with three (3) metres between vehicles
Driver of parked vehicles must ensure that a minimum distance of three (3) metres is maintained between another parked vehicle so as to ensure that other traffic may pass through.

Abandoned Vehicles are classified as vehicles which are unregistered and parked on a pulic road for longer than 24hours. If a vehicle is unregistered and stored on council land, Public Safety Officers will observe the vehicle for 24hrs. If the vehicle has not moved within that time, Public Safety Officers will place a ‘Notice to Remove’ on the vehicle. If the vehicle has still not been moved or Council has not been contacted by the owner, the vehicle could be towed by Council.

If you are trying to locate a towed vehicle, please contact the Public Safety team on 8391 7200.

Changes to Fines in South Australia

From February 2014, people have more flexible options to pay their fines, due to changes to the management of fines in South Australia.  A new State Government unit called – the Fines Enforcement and Recovery Unit – has been established to recover overdue fine amounts owed to state and local government bodies.

These functions have moved from the Magistrates Court to the new Fines Unit on 3 February 2014. The unit will also manage the recovery of court fines and Criminal Injury Compensation (CIC) and Victims of Crime (VOC) compensation amounts. The Fines Enforcement and Recovery Unit can be contacted by calling them on 1800 659 538. Before calling, it is worth visiting the Fines Unit website for information about managing overdue fines: www.fines.sa.gov.au

Payment Arrangements

Payment Arrangements are available to help spread your payments over a longer period. This means you can make regular weekly, fortnightly, and monthly payments to manage your amount owing along with other expenses in your household budget. Minimum payments will depend on the total amount owing and payment frequency.

Contact the Fines Enforcement and Recovery Unit for an application for more time call 1800 659 538. For more information about managing overdue fines: visit the unit’s website at www.fines.sa.gov.au

Penalties and Payment

Under the Expiation of Offences Act 1996, expiations need not be attached to vehicles. Details of the offence may be taken and an expiation notice posted to the offender.

Legal proceedings may be instituted if payment is not made within 28 days. However, Council may accept late payment subject to additional administrative and legal costs being included with the expiation fee.

To appeal against any infringement notice issued by an authorised officer, a written request must be made to Council, options are:

  • Emailing to council@mountbarker.sa.gov.au
  • Posting to Mount Barker District Council, PO Box 54 or an Expiation Appeal Form can be completed at the Civic Centre, 6 Dutton Road, Mount Barker between 9am and 5pm or the form downloaded below, completed and posted to Mount Barker District Council, PO Box 54, Mount Barker SA 5251.
  • Completing the online form Appeal Form - Parking (online form)

If the offence is a parking or traffic offence and you were not driving at the time of the offence, you may be able to provide a statutory declaration in accordance with the Road Traffic Act 1961 or other relevant legislation that outlines the name and address of the driver. A statutory declaration form may be obtained from the Council’s offices.

For further information regarding parking control, including concerns regarding parking fines, contact Council on 8391 7200 or email council@mountbarker.sa.gov.au