Blog

Nov 21, 2023

Sensors buried under prime Manly parking spots

In-ground parking sensors are currently being installed across prime parking

In-ground parking sensors are currently being installed across prime parking spots on Manly's beachfront, as well as elsewhere in the area, giving real time information about parking availability, among other functions.

Part of an integration with Park’nPay app, a spokesperson for Northern Beaches Council confirmed it was installing about 760 sensors across the Manly area. We are advised it does not provide alerts to rangers about overstaying vehicles, but does allow rangers to check whether a particular car has paid or overstayed by looking up its number plate.

Council confirmed the sensors provide "real time data using the NSW Government Park’nPay App to find out how many parking spaces are available at each location".

They assured it is for the convenience of drivers, rather than a way to more efficiently identify vehicles overstaying their welcome.

"The installation of the new parking sensors and accessing parking availability via the Park’nPay App will improve the customer experience in Manly especially in the warmer months when our beaches are most visited," Newly elected Mayor Sue Heins said in a statement.

The app, already used in 14 Council areas in NSW, allows users to extend their parking remotely if required; we also observed an option to only pay for the time parked, rather than estimating and overpaying.

It is intended to reduce congestion at pinch points by alerting drivers to conditions ahead of time.

One particular benefit is for those with disability permits who will now be able to find accessible parking in Council carparks. It can also advise of EV charging, among other information offerings.

The in-ground sensors are installed beneath the surface of the road and detect when a vehicle enters and leaves a parking space.

"The parking sensors are being installed to assist drivers in locating available parking spaces and allow staff to provide information to the community in real time using mobile message boards when the system is operational. Drivers can pay and manage parking through the Park’nPay App in the Northern Beaches and within 14 other council areas across the state," a Council statement read.

Park’nPay was introduced in October 2019 to allow drivers to pay for parking without needing to use a parking meter.

A reminder of the rules (and consequences)

The fine for overstaying parking and the fine for not complying with front-to-kerb parking are both $120.

You can still park for free for four hours along Manly beachfront if you have a valid Beach Parking Permit sticker (provided it hasn't peeled off already). You can view this map of parking locations where the beach parking permit applies.

Oh, and watch out for those subtle ‘front to kerb’ signs, they’ll get ya.

The sensors have been installed and now active via the Park’nPay App at:

The remaining locations are scheduled to be completed by the end of the week at (North and South Steyne):

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