Parking Safety Reminder for Lowe Street Ararat

Ararat Rural City Council is reminding motorists to park legally in Lowe Street, Ararat for the safety of pedestrians and other drivers moving about the vicinity.

Council recently replaced the old, fading No Standing signs to give drivers wanting to park in front of the hostel clear visibility of the parking restriction. Hostel staff, visitors and the public not adhering to this parking restriction are at risk of receiving a fine from Council.

The No Standing zone has been in place for many years because the bends, rises, nearby intersections, and driveway entrances all impact driver visibility if parked in this area. This creates extra risk for everyone using the road, especially with the mix of cars turning in and out of properties and side streets. Parked cars can block those already limited sight lines, which pushes the risk to an unacceptable level.

Signage informing motorists about parking restrictions has been in place in this area for many years, and new additional signs were installed recently to assist visitors who may be unfamiliar with local parking requirements. People should also be aware that yellow stripes on the side of the road also indicate a no parking zone.

Council’s Community Safety Team has provided extensive notice to drivers illegally parking in Lowe Street, including reminder letters on vehicles and safety alerts to Garden View Court management.

Ararat Rural City Council CEO, Dr Tim Harrison, said there were some kerbside parking spots in the vicinity for visitors to use and staff were encouraged to use staff parking.

“Lowe Street is a busy part of town with a curved alignment and a lot of people coming and going, so we need everyone to use common sense and follow the signs,” Dr Harrison said. “Council understands parking can be tight for visitors to Garden View Court and nearby homes, but parking in signed no-standing areas, blocking visibility, or performing unsafe U-turns puts other road users at risk.

“We are asking people to do the right thing, keep an eye on the signage, and treat our Community Safety Team with respect as they go about their work,” he said. “Abuse of staff is not acceptable in any circumstances, and enforcement action will continue where drivers ignore repeated warnings and clear instructions.”