Geelong Council backflips on parking meter hike after typo

A "typographical error" is being blamed for the Geelong Council overcharging for car parking.

Workers arrived at the Haymarket carpark in Myers St, Geelong on Monday to find the cost of parking for a whole day had increased from $9 to $9.40.

A prominent sticker on ticket machines informed drivers of the price rise and the machines accepted $9.40, both in coins and on credit cards.

However, the price rise is 20¢ more than the $9.20 figure predicted in the 2015-16 Geelong Council budget.

The disparity appears to be the result of a typographical error

When News Corp Australia brought the discrepancy to the attention of the council, it investigated and later confirmed a mistake had been made.

"You are quite right. The correct fee for an all-day park at Haymarket should be $9.20," a spokesman said.

"The disparity appears to be the result of a typographical error.

"The software issue is being rectified and the machines will be reprogrammed to charge $9.20 all day. The City sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused to members of the public."

The daily weekday parking fee jumped from $7.50 to $9 a year ago, when free weekend parking was introduced under then-new mayor, Darryn Lyons.

Weekday street parking also increased by 50¢ an hour last year, up from $2 to $2.50.

Street parking rose again yesterday morning, to $2.60 an hour.

Workers expressed frustration at the lack of notice about the parking fee increases, saying they had arrived at the Haymarket ticket machine with $9 in coins, to find a sticker on the machine stating the cost of a day ticket was now $9.40.

All said they had seen or heard nothing about the price change before Monday morning.

Jacob Marks, who drives into Geelong from Queenscliff every day to work as a cook at city vegan restaurant, Dolly's Sister, said he was lucky he had extra coins in his pocket when he parked at the Haymarket.

"I wasn't happy. At the very least, we should have had a bit of warning about it," Mr Marks said.

He said he would rather pay for weekend parking to shop, than be slugged extra for weekday parking, so he could work.

The council voted in April 2014 to permanently offer free, timed parking in the Geelong CBD on weekends, which was projected to cost $921,000 a year.

A council spokesman said the fee increases "were advertised in line with public notification of the adoption of Council's budget in June 2015".

All customers holding permits in council's off-street car parks were notified of the increase in writing, he said.