In the duration of stage four restrictions the whole city of Melbourne will be free of parking fines after questions have been raised over critical staff receiving tickets.
Justin Hanney, CEO of City of Melbourne, said in an announcement today that all green sign parking bays will now provide unrestricted parking, free of limits or charges.
Restrictions will also apply to parking bays “red sign,” which include: parking spaces for disabled, no stopping areas, tow-away clearways, loading zones and all other bays that could pose a danger to public safety.
The backflip on parking restrictions comes just days after widespread indignation when, when treating COVID-19 patients, doctors and nurses in the hospitals in town incurred fines for parking too long.
Exhausted Royal Melbourne Hospital doctor Katarina Arandjelovic was surprised when she left the hospital on Monday at 10 pm to find a $99 parking ticket on her car dashboard.
Dr Arandjelovic revealed in a series of tweets sent to Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Sally Capp and the City of Melbourne that she had operated for at least 56 hours over the previous four days while she cared for “some of the sickest patients in the state.”