Wyndham City in Melbourne’s outer west is asking truck drivers of heavy and long vehicles to stop parking in residential streets and indented bays along streets.
The trucks, often used for freight and commercial services, pose a safety risk to residents according to the council.
It blamed air and noise pollution from air brakes and idling prior to start up in addition to road deterioration from increased heavy vehicle movements.
Wyndham City’s Community Safety portfolio holder Susan McIntyre said council took safety seriously and as such will continue to patrol what it deemed “hot spot areas.”
“We appreciate the truck drivers have a business and a livelihood to maintain but they need to park legally, act responsibly and be considerate of neighbours – heavy and long trucks were not designed to be parked in residential streets,” said McIntyre.
“Heavy and long vehicles can place the safety of residents at risk when they obscure the line of sight of drivers who back out of their driveways into street traffic, they also reduce visibility of children and adults who need to cross the street in front of the stationary trucks,” she said.
McIntyre also objected to the damage trucks caused on local road infrastructure due to their weight and size.
“Road safety audits will be undertaken when necessary to consider if signage prohibiting truck parking is required in hot spot areas,” she continued.
“Drivers should consider ‘park and drive’ options to park their vehicle overnight at heavy and long vehicle, secure parking facilities. Drivers interested in these options should contact Council.”