Parking meter greed !

Over half a century ago an American invention - the parking meter - came to Australia. At the time, it sounded like a good idea. Cars were not as numerous in those days and for a few pennies the meters would regulate parking to make kerbside space a shared commodity for all users.
That outlook has fallen by the wayside with the coming of the twenty-first century.
Councils have realised that they have within their grasp a source of revenue that increases faster than the rates levied on homes. To some councils, parking meters have become a milch cow and they have employed a veritable army of zealous rangers to inflict fines and keep the cash flowing.
The figures are staggering. The city of Sydney made $ 58 million from parking meter revenue and fines last year, Waverley council netted $ 17 million and North Sydney $ 9 million.
But, there have been consequences. Some councils have been so aggressive that they have killed the goose that laid the golden eggs. Prime shopping locations have become a desert of boarded up shops when customers have buoy cotted shopping there because of mercenary practices. Now there are desperate plans to reintroduce limited free parking to try and rejuvenate business houses.
One of the biggest losers has been the family trip to the beach. Councils in beach suburbs have been merciless in gouging profits from parking meters and in some cases meters come on line from as early as seven in the morning.
The anti-car lobby suggests beachgoers use public transport, but this ignores the fact that most of western Sydney lacks adequate public transport facilities - and to take a young family - with picnic needs and water toys - on a multi-transport trip to the beach is little short of insanity.
Somewhere there must be a dividing line between the needs of the public to shop and enjoy a dip at the beach - and the needs of councils to regulate parking and make facilities available to all.
Unfortunately those needs have been pushed firmly into the background - and the prime concern of most councils now is revenue raising.
Sydney used to be a fun city ! A destination envied by our cousins in the colder part of this continent. It seems that the cold hearts and grasping talons of councils are fast obliterating that image and making this a city exclusively for the wealthy !