Parking

Equity in provision for parking of motorcycles is generally lacking.

Motorcycles can make a positive contribution to transport, yet are not adequately catered fir in State or Federal transport plans. Both small and large motorcycles have less impact on the environment than cars, especially those cars with only one occupant.

Optimising motorcycle use requires relatively inexpensive changes to the infrastructure compared with accommodating additional public transport and making provision for more car traffic.

Motorcycles use land more efficiently than any other motorised transport, occupying less road space and parking space in particular where about 5 motorcycles can use a single car space.

Each local council area is responsible for the administration of parking and hence, different issues arise in different areas. Faulty Legislation is the problem, motorcycles appear to be invisible to public policy and are systemically discriminated against.

Most local councils have no provision for motorcycle parking and many parking stations have boom gates which will not be triggered by a motorcycle, denying them use.

Parking stations generally will charge a motorcycle the same rate as a car.

Ticket parking is an on-going nightmare for motorcyclists as they simply cannot comply with the Regulation, which requires them to display the paid ticket.
A motorcycle cannot securely display a Ticket Parking ticket, hence are issued a parking infringement whether a ticket has been purchased or not. Tickets blow away, are destroyed by rain, or are stolen by car drivers for their own use.
The issued parking infringement is often simply jammed into a gap on the motorcycle, resulting in scratching of the paintwork, or other damage, adding to the ire. If the motorcyclist has retained the parking ticket and this shows that at the time of issue of the Infringement Notice, they had a valid ticket, they are put to the inconvenience of having to write to the Infringement Processing Bureau and argue that they had actually paid.
The Infringement Processing Bureau will often cancel the Infringement Notice, but this appears to be done on the basis that the Council got their money, not on the basis that the ticket was incorrectly issued and raises a question as to the basis for the decision to cancel the Notice.

City of Sydney is one of the few exceptions, there is no need to display a ticket provided you comply with the other parking requirements City of Sydney Parking Rules
The parking inspector is simply following the Regulation. The Regulation fails to consider motorcycles.

Motorcyclists are reluctant to use ticket parking areas because of the risk of damage from “bump parking” by careless drivers. A motorcycle can be tipped over from this practice, resulting in serious damage which can render the machine unusable. Even a minor impact can break foot controls, which are not designed to absorb impacts of this type. Towbars can do serious and expensive damage to fairings and engine casings.

City of Sydney

In 2008 the City of Sydney developed a Motorcycle & Scooter Strategy and Action Plan 2008 – 2011, at the time this was a world’s first, however the City of Sydney have chosen to not update this strategy and action plan and much of the good work achieved has since been wound back. A copy is available here

A map of motorcycle parking was developed but while it is out-of-date it is still a handy reference to where to look for city parking available here.
Other parking information is available from the City of Sydney website