MOTORISTS who park unlawfully in school loading zones will be hit with a $133 fine when term one begins later this month, as council officers begin their school patrols for the new year.
A total of 6181 parking fines were handed out across the city in 2020, with 155 of those issued at loading zones near schools.
A council spokeswoman said parking officers would be on the job from day one of the new school year as part of of an ongoing safety program aimed at keeping children, parents, pedestrians and motorists safe.
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Anyone caught spending longer than two minutes in a designated drop-off and pick-up zone could expect to be hit with a fine.
"While ensuring parking compliance in all loading or no standing zones is important for community safety, school parking zones can attract large volumes of pedestrians and motorists in the same location, particularly during peak drop-off and pick-up times," a council spokeswoman said.
"Council urges motorists to ensure they take extra care when parking around schools, to follow the signed parking rules at all times, and to check the parking signs carefully as they are often more strict than other parking areas.
"Council officers undertake patrols at all schools in the city, with the commencement of each school year providing an opportunity to educate parents and carers about the parking requirements, particularly relating to the use of loading zones during peak drop-off and pick-up times."
The council spokeswoman did not say whether certain schools would be targeted.
School zones will also come back into effect from the first day of term on January 27.
Motorists who are caught exceeding the 40km/h speed limit by less than 13km/h will cop fines of $177 and one demerit point.
More than 38,000 drivers were fined for speeding in school zones during 2018 and 2019.
Drivers in the Brisbane region - which includes the Redlands - were the worst offenders, with 14,420 fines dished out.
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