A Subiaco councillor has labelled Wilson Parking "corporate psychopaths" on Radio 6PR and accused the pay-parking giant of behaving like "vultures sitting on a barbed wire fence".
Councillor Mark Burns told Breakfast hosts Steve Mills and Basil Zempilas that he received calls from teary ratepayers every week complaining about being slammed with a $65 fine only minutes after the expiration of their parking fees.
"Some have told me they've got back to their car only one minute late and they've already got a fine," he said.
He believed parking officers were over-vigilant and lacked leniency.
The Wilson carpark is in Seddon Street off the Rokeby Road cafe strip in an area formerly used by Subiaco Market shoppers.
Mr Burns said the City of Subiaco had a contract with Wilson Parking since the early 2000s, but was now keen to disassociate itself from the company, believing it had a reputation for excessive fining and wheel clamping.
It is understood that the formal contract has expired and negotiations on a new one are on hold until the outcome of some nearby building applications are known. In the meantime, the arrangements continue on a month-by-month basis.
"The contract doesn't express how they should operate," Councillor Burns said.
The councillor said that the city had a morals code and that he had an interest in who it did business with.
"We want them out of the city," Mr Burns said.
Radio 6PR was flooded with calls from listeners following Mr Burns' interview, complaining about problems with Wilson - in Subiaco and other areas of Perth.
Wilson Parking has been approached for comment.
Wilson Parking Australia Pty Ltd is a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-based Wilson Group that employs some 6800 people.
Its lists its services as including:
- Parking
- Security
- Technology - advanced technological control equipment
- Storage facilities management
- Health and safety training
- Non-emergency patient transport.
It has parking facilities in 17 metropolitan suburbs but up to 25 parking stations in traffic-dense locations like the Perth CBD, including West Perth, East Perth and Northbridge.
Wilson Parking operates more than 260 car parks across Australia and claims to park more than 400,000 vehicles each day.
