Parking Laws and Guidelines

Parking laws in Cockburn

The City of Cockburn’s Parking and Facilities Local Law 2007 is designed to maximise the use of available road and footpath space and to provide access to parking for all motorists. The Law considers the requirements of businesses, visitors, residents and traffic management. Illegal parking can be dangerous to pedestrians, cyclists and other road users and causes frustration and inconvenience.​​​

Drivers are responsible for being familiar with the Road Traffic Code 2000 and the Parking and Facilities Local Law when parking within the City.

The regulations in these legal documents are enforceable at all times and do not require signage to be applied. However, parking signs may be installed to rei​nforce existing parking restrictions within the road reserve. Infringements can be issued when drivers do not adhere to the parking restrictions.

The City uses the following technologies in relation to parking offences:

• Mobile license plate recognition cameras
  • With Police access to our system and sharing of information, cameras on our vehicles will increase response speeds and offender detection for parking and other offences. Cameras will also help to improve safety around schools, shopping centres and busy areas along the coast.
• Parking sensors in Port Coogee
  • To free up the space for more users throughout the week, and the data allows us to plan for future parking. Soon, you will be able to check online if any car spaces are available before leaving home or work

Parking guidelines in Cockburn

The following guidelines are the most important, and most commonly misunderstood parking regulations from the City’s Parking and Facilities Local Law. Please note that they apply to on-street parking within road reserves and to parking station facilities.

Parking offences

It is an offence to stop or park a vehicle: 

• Within three metres of a double white line
• ​Within 10 metres of an intersection
• Less than nine metres from a traffic island.

Road Traffic Code prohibitions

Essentially there are two types of prohibitions which have specific meanings under the Road Traffic Code. These are:

1. No Parking – a motorist may stop the vehicle to immediately set down or pick up passengers or goods, but must remain with the vehicle
2. No Standing – a motorist cannot stop to set down or pick up passengers; a rule put in place to ban vehicles from stopping in potentially hazardous areas.

To view the guidelines in full, please download and view the relevant documents below.

The following signs can apply at certain times of the day or night, when no parking or standing is allowed.

Footpaths

No part of a vehicle can park or stop on or over a footpath or place of refuge for pedestrians.

No parking areas

Vehicles cannot park on a road or portion of road where there is a ‘no parking’ sign unless dropping off or picking up passengers or goods.

No stopping areas

Vehicles cannot park on a road or part of a road where there is a no stopping sign or is marked with a continuous yellow edge line.

Verge parking

Vehicles cannot stop or park where signs prohibit the stopping or parking of cars on a verge. If you are parking or stopping on the verge of a home that isn’t yours, you must first obtain permission from the adjoining landowner.  

Median strips and traffic islands

No part of a vehicle can stop or park on a road so the vehicle is on or adjacent to a median strip otherwise than in a parking space or on or within nine metres of any portion of a carriageway bounded on one or both sides by a traffic island.

Continuous line

A person parking a vehicle on a carriageway other than in a parking space shall park:

• So that at least three metres of the width of the carriageway lies between the vehicle and the farther boundary of the carriageway, or any continuous line or median strip, or between the vehicle and a vehicle parked on the farther side of the carriageway.  

Prohibited parking on streets and public reserves

A vehicle cannot park on any portion on a road:

• For the purpose of exposing it for sale
• If that vehicle is not licensed under the Road Traffic Act
• If that vehicle is a trailer or a caravan unattached to a motor vehicle
• For the purpose of effecting repairs to it, other than the minimum repairs necessary to enable the vehicle to be moved to a place other than a thoroughfare.

Public reserves

• Vehicles cannot stop or park in a public reserve, unless within a parking facility or parking station, or an employee of the City, or has obtained the permission of the local government or an authorised person.

Timed parking

• Vehicles cannot park on a road for longer than the time specified by road signs (where applicable)
• ​No parking within one hour when the parking restriction time has expired – a person shall not park that vehicle again in the same thoroughfare on that day unless it has first been removed from the thoroughfare for at least one hour.

Parking guidelines – schools

School parking

School parking can be a major safety hazard in some locations when lots of vehicles park incorrectly or speed through school zones. Children and pedestrians are at risk of being hurt when there are a lot of vehicles incorrectly parked or speeding through school zones. Please refer to the parking guidelines above for an overview of the main parking issues and how to avoid them.

School parking – tips for parents

• Always be aware of children in school zones
• ​Support walk or cycling to and from school
• Try and use nearby parking facilities in reserves or shopping centres and walk the short distance to school
• Plan your trip so that you arrive earlier
• Avoid leaving your vehicle for long periods
• ​Form a Your Move and RoadWise committee (contact your principal or P&C).

School parking – tips for teachers

• Join Your Move as a school and encourage walking and cycling to school
• Educate students about procedures around the school precinct
• ​Encourage children to educate their parents or carers about what they should and shouldn’t do around the school when driving or parking.

School parking – signs 

• Children warning and 40km/h school speed zone signs are the responsibility of Main Roads WA. Requests for additional signs or sign damage reports should be directed to them on 9323 4111 or 1800 800 009
• Kiss 'N' Drive zones typically allow parents to pick up and drop off children adjacent to the main school entrance
• ​Prohibition Signs – parking prohibitions are imposed to regulate and modify parking patterns. Their main function is to ensure that potential vehicle/pedestrian conflicts are eliminated.

School parking – golden rules

1. Be aware
2. Be courteous
3. Be responsible
4. Be a 'Perfect Parker'
5. Observe parking signs
6. ​Use Kiss 'N' Drive (if available).

Your Move program

The City runs the Your Move program with the Department of Transport that promotes walking, cycling and public transport in Cockburn. The program offers support and advice to help you find other ways to get to and from school, your workplace and around your local area.

You can get involved by walking, riding and using public transport whenever possible. By swapping a few car trips a week for walking, cycling and catching public transport, you can build more physical activity into your life, find more quality time to spend with friends and families, and save money to spend on things you enjoy. Visit the Your Move website for ideas, resources and tools to get you and your family moving.

You can also join the Cockburn Bicycle User Group. The City hosts a number of bike friendly events throughout the year.

The City's TravelSmart Officer works with a number of different groups and on the Bike and Walk Cockburn Plan to promote travel behaviour change. This includes residents, visitors, workplaces and schools.

Parking guidelines – disabled parking bays

Disabled car parking bays can only be used by vehicles displaying a current ACROD sticker.

It is an offence for any other vehicle to park or stand in a disabled car parking bay. Rangers are required to ensure that these bays are available for people with disabilities, and may impose on-the-spot fines for parking in an ACROD bay. 

More information and contact

Please contact Ranger Services for more information on parking laws and guidelines on 08 9411 3444 or email [email protected].