Decision details

Moved by Councillor Gannon, seconded by Councillor Kok –

It is resolved that:

(A)       Council note:

(i)         Australia Post parking spaces are reserved as no stopping areas 24/7 under NSW Road Rules 2014 rule 199(1)(a), unless otherwise signposted;

(ii)        Australia Post does not collect mail from post-boxes 24/7;

(iii)       the current arrangement results in useful parking spaces in public spaces sitting empty throughout the City unnecessarily, including on weekends and after hours. 60 of the 100 Australia Post zones in the City are 24/7;

(iv)       in the first half of FY25, letter volumes dropped a further 10.6% leading to a loss of $83.7M in Australia Post’s letter service;

(v)        many residential areas have multiple Australia Post parking spaces taking up potential parking spaces, including Elizabeth Bay and Potts Point, which has 11 post boxes within close proximity of each other;

(vi)       rule 186 (2) of the NSW Road Rules 2014 mandates that a driver must not stop in an area where a mail zone parking sign applies. Rule 313 of the NSW Road Rules 2014 provides an exemption from Rule 186 for the driver of a postal vehicle;

(vii)      there is the ability to regulate the times in which these areas are reserved for postal vehicles, which would enable other drivers to stop in these areas during non-collection days and times; and

(viii)    the Council has power under the NSW Road Rules 2014, to address this issue by implementing parking control signs that apply universally to remove the mail zone parking rules during specified times; and

(B)       the Chief Executive Officer be requested to:

(i)         investigate implementing timed mail zones to enable greater use of more of these parking spaces during non-collection days and times, and provide advice on the required process by way of a CEO Update; and

(ii)        consult with Australia Post about modernising arrangements for these parking spaces.

Carried unanimously.

X113764