CENTRAL West motorists have paid almost $1 million in parking fines so far this financial year, new data shows.
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The latest figures from Revenue NSW reveal that from July to January, 7148 infringement notices worth a combined total of $981,776 were issued to motorists who over-stayed in parking spots.
The vast majority of fines were issued in Orange, with that local government area recording almost 3.5 times the number of infringements to any other area in the Central West.
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During the seven-month period, 4689 parking fines were issued to motorists in Orange, which raised $639,345 for council coffers.
This was the equivalent of more than $3000 every single day in fines.
During the same time in Bathurst, 1349 fines worth $186,095 were issued.
A mobile parking enforcement car operates in both of these cities as well as parking patrol officers on foot.
In Dubbo, motorists have handed over $97,167 in fines thanks to 729 infringement notices issued during the seven-month period.
Far less parking fines have been issued in other locations so far this financial year.
There have been 210 in the Mid-Western local government area worth $25,682, and 96 fines worth a total of $19,089 issued in Lithgow.
While in Cowra 47 infringement notices ($10,213) were issued; 20 were handed out in Parkes ($2391) and eight in the Hilltops LGA ($1794).
Meanwhile, Orange City Council is considering whether to drop parking fines from $112 to $80 and has sought research from the NSW Government on whether the reduced fine would still deter motorists from doing the wrong thing.
City of Orange Traffic Committee chairman and councillor Russell Turner told Australian Community Media that he supported a fine reduction.
"It would be a strong indication the council isn't looking at it as a revenue raiser, rather as a way of distributing parking spots in as equitable way as possible," he said.
While Dubbo Regional Council mayor Ben Shields recently told Australian Community Media that it would not be following the lead of Bland Shire Council which is currently not fining motorists who overstay in their parking spot.
"Our parking restrictions are in place to ensure people don't park in a prime CBD space for the entire day, " he said.
"We want to give a number of people the chance to park close to where they conduct their business. If that doesn't happen, the city will descend into chaos."