Parking on a road verge (nature strip)

In response to community feedback, council has implemented a number of initiatives to improve parking, including:

• a new educational parking webpage with fact sheets to raise awareness on a range of parking matters
• a review of council's compliance and enforcement policy to accommodate driver education
• the development and distribution of verge parking education packages to real estate agents
• a trial of infrastructure solutions such as marking yellow lines and retrofitting parking bays.

Council is taking an educational approach when managing verge parking and seeking voluntary compliance by motorists.

Our aim is to make out streets safe for pedestrians and all road users. To achieve this our officers may issue:

• a caution and fact sheet for first time offenders outlining why the parking situation is unlawful or
• a penalty infringement notice to repeat offenders or
• a penalty infringement notice in the first instance where parking is considered unsafe.

An unsafe parking situation is present if it:

• creates a significant risk to pedestrian safety
• impacts on underground infrastructure
• impedes access to essential services
• reduces visibility
• causes significant damage to the verge.

Queensland state government sets rules about parking in their Transport Operations Road Use Management (Road Rules) Regulation 2009. This states that:

• a driver must not stop on a bicycle path, footpath, shared path or median strip, or the verge adjacent to a length of road in a built-up area, unless the driver:
  • stops at a place on a length of road, or in an area, to which a parking control sign applies, and
  • is permitted to stop at that place under Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995.

For assistance with issues relating to vehicles parked illegally or dangerously, please contact council by:

• lodging a request online
• emailing council at mail@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au detailing the specific location and nature of your concerns.