North Sydney Council to scrap Touch N Go parking meter surcharge

People paying for parking in the North Sydney LGA by phone will not be slugged with an 8.25 percent surcharge, after council voted on Monday night to absorb the fee.

The “service fee”, charged by mobile parking company PayStay, is being billed directly to drivers when they pay for parking using a Touch N Go parking meter. The final day of charging customers the 8.25 percent surcharge is Monday June 30.

Why was the surcharge introduced?

The fee was introduced after the 3G platform - which the previous parking meter system relied on - was turned off in July 2024.

Following the shutdown, North Sydney Council implemented a cashless parking system. This included the installation of new, standard parking meters along with Touch N Go boxes, which require use of PayStay.

North Sydney Council estimated that over a year the PayStay surcharge would total $334,000.

The council motion came in response to draft amendments to NSW transport law, which state that administrative costs of a pay parking scheme must be borne by the parking authority, not the driver.

Are locals being shortchanged?

Outspoken critic of the surcharge, Simon Berry, addressed the chamber on Monday, pointing out that the motion “makes no mention of remediation efforts for customers who have been forced to pay these unlawful fees”. 

Council argued that it was not in violation under previous legislation.

An amendment to the original motion was proposed by Councillor James Spenceley, seeking a legal perspective from council staff regarding the surcharge, and whether refunds may need to be processed.

The amendment was accepted and passed with the motion.

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