Parking inspectors have been accused of targeting families who turned up to watch children compete in an interschool swimming competition at Werribee’s outdoor pool.
Kay Angel, the grandmother of a Heathdale Christian College student, said she was disappointed to see officers affixing fines to the windscreens of cars left on the grass outside the pool because they had been unable to get into the Chirnside Park pool’s carpark.
“It was mayhem in there. The pool had reached capacity and people weren’t being let in until other parents left,” Ms Angel said.
Frustrated with the situation, people started parking on the grass outside the park.
“People aren’t fined for parking there on weekends when the footy is on so why was it happening during a school swimming competition?”
“You’d think common sense would prevail here,” Ms Angel said.
“These were people attending as spectators, to support their children or grandchildren.”
More than 55 parking infringements were issued to motorists around the precinct on the day of the swimming sports.
Ms Angel accused parking officers of targeting the area in a bid to raise revenue.
But council’s director of corporate services, Steven Lambert, said parking patrols were not scheduled to coincide with events.
“It’s necessary to patrol these areas to ensure cars are parked safely and to promote an equitable turnover of cars to support local businesses in the area,” he said.
Too few spaces
Mr Lambert confirmed there were 174 car parks in the immediate area, but the swimming competition had 649 people inside at its peak.
“The event that took place is an annual event and during summer months the pool will experience days that are at capacity,” he said.
Mr Lambert said patrons should park legally within the dedicated parking bays or park further away and “walk a short distance”.
