Shoppers in 15-minute dash
A PETITION to increase the time allowance for a line of new parking spots on Sunshine Beach Rd is slowly gaining momentum.
A string of new 15-minute parks have attracted a lot of attention from Sunshine Coast Council parking inspectors.
Symbolic Journey owner Sue Harwood has seen her fair share of shoppers race against the clock outside her store only to end up with a hefty fine.
She's calling on the council to increase the parking time to at least an hour to allow shoppers a chance to explore the Junction.
"I don't know why it's only 15 minutes," she said.
"Spaces are sitting there empty and people are getting booked.
"You can't walk down the road to the newsagent without coming back to find a ticket for no reason.
"I think if we're trying to encourage people to come and shop it's no good if they can only stay such a short time."
The 15-minute parking spots are a recent addition to Sunshine Beach Rd.
For a while, it was a spot designated for backpacker buses, but they have been moved into a spot behind the new bus terminal.
Ms Harwood said she was never bothered by the backpackers.
A Sunshine Coast Council spokesman said the shops had asked for the backpackers' bus stop to be moved and for the 15-minute parks to be put in.
"The backpackers are happy around the corner," he said.
"The council is working on some shelter for them. They might be moved one more time, probably about 100m."
He said the 15-minute parking spots were to encourage quick business turnover.
"There are a lot of businesses there that want to help customers and patrons drop things off, pick things up."
