‘An epidemic and a risk to public safety’
Council is looking to solve the perennial problem of boat and trailer parking on residential streets, and will come up with a targeted action plan in six months.
The issue was discussed at the 14 November meeting, after a motion by councillor Vincent De Luca, of Narrabeen Ward. Increased monitoring in hot spot areas, possible designated street parking areas for boats and trailers and an education campaign were discussed.
“It’s becoming an epidemic and a risk to public safety,” he said. “We’re getting reports every day about obstruction of vision lines.”
Cr De Luca said that timed parking signage (4P and 8P) on Kenneth Road, Manly Vale, were being ignored and that removalist trucks parked there and a white ute with advertising had been there for six years, which he said was unfair.
Regulations differ in Pittwater and Manly Warringah as the current regulations were adopted pre-amalgamation.
“Council can only apply the timing regulation to Pittwater,” explained Cr De Luca. “The former Manly and Warringah councils didn’t enter that regulatory scheme.
“In the Manly Warringah area, council can move and impound vehicles under the Impounding Act, but when it comes to trailers, unless they’re unregistered, they’re legally registered vehicles.
“Unless you’ve entered into the regulatory scheme, which is laborious and expensive to monitor, you’ve got limited powers,” said Mr De Luca. “(Rangers) have to go down and measure whether a boat or trailer has moved a certain length or how long they’ve been there –you need evidence.
“There’s too much bureaucratic nonsense that costs residents and rate payers,” said Cr De Luca. “Do you really want rangers going down every day with a ruler?”
Tradies are using lockable trailers to avoid expensive storage and storing building materials and tools in these on The Crescent and Wheeler Parade in Dee Why, said Cr De Luca. “While I sympathise that people are just trying to make a buck and avoid expense, it’s at the expense of safety.”
In 2023/24, 17,000 trailers were registered. Council received 288 complaints about parking concerns, 24 trailers were impounded, 283 infringement penalty notices were issued, and 137 requests were received for signage to be installed or modified to manage unattached trailers.
