Council crackdown on kerbside parking

Gold Coast residents parking their caravan or boat trailer in front of their house or on a suburban street for an extended period could soon be fined if proposed changes to council kerbside parking rules come into effect.

According to a 9News.com.au report, Gold Coast City councilors are considering banning or restricting caravans from kerbside parking after “a flood of complaints from neighbours with claims the unpowered vehicles are basically being 'stored' free of charge on public roads”.

According to the report many boat trailers and caravans are being left, sometimes for months on end, parked on suburban streets, reducing the number of car parking options for other residents as well as visitors to the bustling Gold Coast region.

“We need those car parking spaces at it is a little bit of a joke in some areas,” Gold Coast City Councillor Paul Taylor said.

The Gold Coast Council is conducting a review into whether restrictions are required for boat trailers and caravans less than 7.5 metres in length. One possibility would be to restrict parking of recreational trailers on the street to one hour, which already applies to larger vehicles like buses and trucks.

“As far as I’m concerned if you’ve got a boat or caravan you either store it at home or in storage sheds or leave the boat in the water,” Councillor Taylor said.

Gold Coast Sport Fishing Club President Bruce Anderson agreed that residents storing trailers outside their home for months on end should be fined but argued against a one hour limit.

“I think a week would certainly be appropriate, as a period of time to start with, as a test to see how they’re going to police it and things like that,” he said.

Related reading: How to store your caravan