I STRONGLY endorse the comments of reader Bjorn Moore (“Grumpy”. CN, October 25) about the extent of illegal parking in Canberra.

I have contacted several representatives for Ginninderra, including Ministers Ramsay and Berry and all I experienced was buck passing.

I was advised to contact Parking Operations ACT when I brought to the pollies’ notice the prevalence of illegal parking on footpaths, median strips and nature strips throughout my suburb and adjoining ones. Parking Operations told me their priority was to act only where illegal parking caused safety concerns.

So the damage caused to grassed areas and trees on median strips and nature strips is ignored, not to forget the visual blight it causes.

Shumack Street, in Weetangera, is an excellent example of the blind eye that is taken to widespread illegal parking, especially near the primary school but also prominent on nature strips all along the street. Footpaths are badly damaged by the practice, as is pedestrian safety.

However, if one overstays one’s parking meter by five minutes and is caught by an inspector, a heavy fine is your reward. Clearly, this a hypocritical situation whereby the government only cares about enforcing its parking legislation when there is revenue to be gained by doing so.

Colin Lyons, Weetangera

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