Angry fans cop fines

ONLY the Big Red Car was exempt from the letter of the law in Wollongong yesterday when more than 100 Wiggles concert-goers were slapped with parking fines.

As more than 3000 fans swung to the tunes of Australia's most popular children's entertainers, Wollongong City Council parking rangers were moving to a different beat outside WIN Entertainment Centre.

Scores of cars parked illegally on the grass that lined marked parking spots on Marine Dr were soon adorned with the telltale manilla envelope.

A second batch of fines followed when the afternoon show's capacity crowd again caused assigned parking areas to overflow.

By day's end, more than 100 fines had been issued.

Parents Wiggly-wooed by the familiar spectrum of skivvies could see only red once outside.

"This is one of the main venues (in Wollongong) and there's nowhere to park. You can't expect a child to walk kilometres," Albion Park Rail grandmother Rozalyn Hewitt said.

"It's made it a miserable day.

"It isn't as if money's abundant at this time of year.

"I've got better things to do with my money than pay council for not providing enough parking," Ms Hewitt added.

Parents who had already parted with $30 per concert ticket, plus the cost of merchandise, were fined $81 for the infringement - parking on a path/strip in a built-up area.

"It's a bit unfair considering there's no parking available," said Melissa Webb, who is pregnant with her second child and was carrying her first. "I can't see what harm it's doing parking here."

Visitors to Wollongong were particularly unimpressed.

"We'll never come back here again. It's ridiculous," Mudgee's Michael Blackman said.

"It's a joke because they don't provide adequate parking," said Phil Herbert, of Nowra.

Bowral's Sharon McWilliams was among the fans who arrived early enough to secure a marked parking spot, but said the lack of assigned spaces did not bode well for Wollongong.

Ms McWilliams told the Mercury when touring acts were playing in Wollongong and Canberra she elected to attend the latter, despite the decision adding an hour to her trip, because she knew once there she would get a parking spot.

A spokesman for Wollongong City Council said the council enforced the Australian road rules, which protect road, pedestrian and public safety.

The council's recent inner city parking strategy discussion paper suggested introducing parking meters and 1700 charged off-street parking spaces to cope with the 6000 extra people expected to live in the area by 2026.

SPEAK UP

letters@illawarramercury.com.au