Parking & Traffic FAQ's

Traffic speed data across the City is regularly collected and analysed. Where speeding is evident, traffic management interventions are developed in order of priority.

If you notice consistently high-speed traffic on your street, email us at townhall@npsp.sa.gov.au with your concerns and traffic data will be assessed.

The Council has little to no control over speeding vehicles, as this is primarily a matter of driver behavior and is enforced by SA Police. You can contact SA Police at 131 444.

The need for traffic management is assessed according to traffic speeds, volumes, crash history, surrounding land use (schools, retirement villages, parks, reserves, retail industrial, etc), and street network category (cycle route, bus route, commercial vehicles, etc). If traffic intervention is warranted, the street will be considered on a priority basis.

Traffic measures may include minor changes such as linemarking and signage or complex traffic calming devices such as slow points. However, complex traffic calming devices are only considered on an area-wide basis and not in a single street so that the problem does not simply shift to another street.

The Council deploys a mobile speed display trailer throughout the City on a monthly rotational basis.

The mobile trailer displays vehicle speeds and a smiley or sad face, depending on the speed of each vehicle that approaches.

The camera also collects data on vehicle speeds and volumes. The data shows that the trailer is effective in educating road users and increasing awareness of behaviour. 

The mobile speed trailer is located on a street if traffic data collection shows evidence that regular speeding is occurring and moves to a new location every 4-8 weeks.

To have your street added to this list, please email us at: townhall@npsp.sa.gov.au

A 40km/h speed limit can only be installed on an area-wide basis and not just in a single street.

Area-wide 40km/h speed limits are being rolled out city-wide on a precinct-by-precinct basis, subject to community consultation.

Suburbs that already have a 40 km/h speed limit:

• Stepney
• Maylands
• Evandale
• Norwood
• Kent Town.

Suburbs with a 40 km/h speed limit in progress:

• Glynde
• Payneham
• Payneham South
• Firle, Trinity Gardens
• St Morris
• Hackney
• College Park
• St Peters
• Royston Park
• Marden.

Future areas for investigation of 40 km/h speed limits:

• Kensington
• Marryatville
• Heathpool
• Felixstow.

For progress of the 40km/h roll-out, download: Traffic Map - 40km City-wide Progress Map 2025

A GIVE WAY sign and a STOP Sign fundamentally act the same way in that a vehicle that approaches an intersection with either a GIVE WAY sign or STOP sign must give way to other vehicles, however a Stop sign requires the vehicle to 'stop' the vehicle before proceeding.

STOP signs will only be used if there is poor sight distance at the intersection in accordance with the requirements set out in Australian Standards.

Generally, the non-compliance of GIVE WAY signs is due to driver complacency or being unable to see the signage as they approach the intersection. Therefore, replacing a GIVE WAY sign with a STOP sign may yield minimal benefit in the resolution of the issue.

If an intersection has a higher occurrence of crashes, Council will inspect the intersection to see if the signage is clear enough. To make an intersection clearer, Council may prune overhanging trees or install pavement median bars (yellow humps/rumble bars) to help increase the visual cues of the approaching intersection.

The use of STOP signs where poor sight distance is not a factor can lead to driver disobedience, and lack of credibility of STOP signs.

Arterial (Major) roads are owned and controlled by the Department for Infrastructure & Transport (DIT), and the Council has very limited control of these roads. DIT roads within the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters are listed below.

• Dequetteville Terrace
• Flinders Street
• Fullarton Road
• Glynburn Road
• Hackney Road
• Kensington Road
• Magill Road
• Nelson Street
• North Terrace
• Payneham Road
• Portrush Road
• Lower Portrush Road
• Stephens Terrace
• Rundle Street
• The Parade (between Fullarton Road and Portrush Road).

If your request on a DIT road is about any of the following, please direct your enquiry to DIT on 1300 872 677 or visit: Department for Infrastructure & Transport - Provide Feedback  

• road closures
• clearways
• bike lanes
• traffic lights / signal faults
• keep clear road markings
• U-turn Bans and No Right Turn Bans.

If your request on a DIT road is about one of the following, please email townhall@npsp.sa.gov.au:

• parking Issues (excluding bike lane and clearway related)
• any works on the footpath or up to the roadside kerb.

The installation of roadside mirrors is generally discouraged throughout the Council area as they depict a distorted image that may not accurately indicate the presence, distance or speed of approaching traffic or other road users and therefore safety at the site may be compromised rather than improved.

Property owners may install a mirror within their property at their own cost.

The Council is not responsible for the location of bus stops. If you have legitimate reason for a bus stop relocation, please direct your enquiry to the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) on 1300 872 677 or visit: Department for Infrastructure & Transport - Provide Feedback  

Traffic and parking issues around schools are common at drop-off and pick-up times and are very difficult for the Council to manage.

The Council encourages the school community (including teachers) to adopt sustainable transport options to alleviate traffic issues and improve road safety at schools. These include walking, cycling, catching a bus or parking a few minutes from the school gate and walking the final distance.

Parking inspectors regularly monitor parking at school peak times at all schools on a rotational basis, however there are 16 schools within the Council area and every school cannot be monitored every day.

The Council liaises with schools on a regular basis, and if you have a specific issue, please contact the school to inform them.

The Council has established a designated bicycle network. For more information, download: NPSP Cycling Network - October 2024.

Streets and intersections on this network are being improved as a priority and in conjunction with road upgrade projects. 

If you have any cycling safety concerns or suggestions for improvements, please email the Council at: townhall@npsp.sa.gov.au

If you have a safety concern for pedestrians, please inform the council please email the Council: townhall@npsp.sa.gov.au

The Council is currently rolling out the new On-Street Parking Policy which aims to:

• Provide fair and equitable access to on-street parking
• Optimise the use of on-street parking to best meet the needs of users
• Ensure the management of on-street parking is clear, transparent and equitable.

Implementation of this Policy is a complex procedure which requires the following tasks:

• identify the hierarchy of parking uses that should apply in the precinct
• undertake parking surveys to establish factual information about parking demand and pressures and occupancy rates and turn over
• prepare an inventory of the total parking supply
• summarise alternative transport options and availability
• undertake comprehensive consultation with local citizens, business owners and other key stakeholders
• compare survey results with parking demand and consider the feedback from the consultation process
• develop a plan to address the issues on a precinct wide basis
• commence implementation in consultation with affected local citizens, business owners and other key stakeholders.

For more information, download: On-Street Parking Policy

Council does not ban parking opposite a resident’s driveway unless there are exceptional circumstances as this practice is unsustainable and would result in a significant loss of on-street parking around the City if widely adopted.

Exceptions to this rule are very narrow streets and where access cannot be improved by other means (eg, driveway widening).

When vehicles park opposite each other on narrow streets, the remaining width is typically insufficient for many cars and may not allow access for larger vehicles including Emergency Service vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances as well as waste collection trucks.

When parking on a narrow street, you must position your vehicle so that there is at least 3 metres of the road alongside your vehicle enabling other vehicles to pass.  You must also position your vehicle so your vehicle does not unreasonably obstruct the path of other vehicles or pedestrians.

Expiation notices may be given to vehicles that park too close to another vehicle.

A street is classified as a ‘Narrow Street’ only if it is 7.0 metres wide or less.  This aligns with the Australian Road Rules that state that a three metre space must be provided in between two vehicles that are parked opposite each other. As shown in the pictures below.

If your street meets this criteria and issues occur frequently, the Council will investigate the issue raised and consider banning parking on one side of the street.

The installation of yellow lines next to a resident’s driveway will only be considered when one of the following criteria exist:

• a demonstrated high parking demand exists
• investigation shows vehicles frequently park immediately abutting or across part of a driveway
• other vehicles are impeding resident access into their property or creating sight line hazards.

Yellow lines next to a driveway will generally not be considered under the following circumstances:

• resident lives on a wide street (e.g 8m wide street)
• resident already has a wide driveway (e.g 4.5m wide)
• resident’s driveway is adjacent (shared driveways) or opposite to another property’s driveway.

Even though a neighbour may have yellow lines alongside their driveway, it doesn’t necessarily mean a resident will have their request for yellow lines approved. The Traffic Engineers will review all yellow line marking when they are up for renewal.

Although yellow lines may be considered, No Parking signs will not be installed for residential driveways.

If you are having issues with vehicles parking across your driveway entrance and they are restricting access to your driveway, please don’t hesitate to contact the Council on 8366 4555 to inform Parking Inspectors of the issue.

No, Council does not support the banning of parking for the purposes of providing room for bins. It is suggested that if vehicles are constantly parking in front of your bins, that you place them within your driveway opening as this is a natural no parking area and will ensure that your bins are picked up. 

No, you must not park your vehicle on or across a driveway (even partially). Even if this driveway is to your own property.

You are allowed to stop across a driveway only if you are dropping off, or picking up passengers and do not leave the vehicle unattended and complete the dropping off, or picking up within 2 minutes of stopping.

No, for the safety of, and as a courtesy to, pedestrians, and for the better maintenance of your environment, you must not park (even partially) on footpaths or the nature strip.

Expiation notices will be given to vehicles that park on the Council verge.

You must not stop within 10 metres from the nearest point of an intersecting road or at an intersection without traffic lights, unless parking is permitted by a traffic control sign.

This also includes laneways, which are classed as a road in the Australian Road Rules.

Expiation notices will be given to vehicles that park too close to an intersection.

No Stopping definition

To 'stop' a vehicle means to stop and remain stationary for even a short period of time. You must not stop or park your vehicle in any area where a 'No Stopping' sign or a continuous yellow edge line applies, even to pick up or set down passengers or goods.

No Parking definition 

You must not park your vehicle in an area where a 'No Parking' sign applies, unless:

• you are dropping off or picking up passengers or goods
• you do not leave the vehicle unattended - that is, move more than three metres away
• you complete the dropping off or picking up as soon as possible - in any case, within two minutes.

Many main roads have lanes that are provided specifically for bike riders. Signage is installed at the beginning of the lane, along the length of the lane and at the end.

Bike lanes are a single roadside lane indicated by a solid white continuous road marking. The bicycle symbol is painted on the road on intersections, which form part of the bike lane.

It is an offence for a vehicle to be parked with any part of that vehicle in a bike lane during the times specified on the bike lane signage.  If no times indicated on the sign, the bike lane is in operation 24 hours. You must not stop in a bike lane at all regardless of your reasons to do so.  This is considered a serious offence and a severe penalty applies.

Clearways improve traffic flow at the busiest times of the day.  A clearway starts at the ‘Clearway’ sign and ends at the ‘End Clearway’ sign. 

You cannot stop your car between these signs during the times specified on the signage.

Only public buses are permitted in Bus Zones.  Buses need unrestricted access to these areas to safely pick up and set down passengers. Unauthorised vehicles create severe inconvenience for bus drivers, particularly during peak periods. Stopping to set down or pick up a passenger is not permitted.

Loading Zones are only available for the pickup or set down of goods or items, which are too large or heavy to carry conveniently.

If you have a commercial vehicle you may use a Loading Zone for a maximum of 30 minutes as long as you are loading or unloading. A ‘commercial vehicle’ means a motor vehicle constructed solely or mainly for the carriage of goods (including a vehicle of the kind commonly called a utility, but excluding a vehicle of the kind commonly called a station wagon or station sedan).

All other vehicles (this includes station wagons and hatchbacks) may only use a Loading Zone for a maximum of 10 minutes if goods, which due to their weight or size are difficult to handle are being picked up or set down.

Council regularly experiences problems with parking around schools.  It is not the responsibility of the Council to provide parking around schools but Council has the difficult task of managing the limited number of on-street spaces available.

Under the Australian Road Rules, vehicles 7.5 metres long, or longer, (including a trailer attached) or having a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of more than 4.5 tonnes can only be parked on a road for a maximum of one hour.

You must not park within one metre of a fire hydrant, fire hydrant indicator (white post with red cap) or fire plug (yellow cap).

You must not park or stop at the side of a road marked with a continuous yellow edge line. Yellow lines are in place for your road safety. 

You can help traffic to flow smoothly and prevent obstructions by not parking on a yellow edge line.

You cannot stop or park on a painted island. These are designed to improve traffic flow, allow entry and exits from road ways and parking areas and to improve line of sight.

If the road has a continuous dividing line (solid white line) or a dividing strip, you must position your vehicle so that there is at least three metres between your vehicle and the continuous dividing line or dividing strip.

If you are parking your vehicle adjacent to another vehicle(s), you must position your vehicle so there is at least one metre between vehicles.

Permissive parking signs are used in areas that may attract high levels of vehicles, and are there to help with a regular ‘turn over’ of vehicles so that more people get a chance to park.

The ‘P’ stands for Permissive and the number indicates how long you can park there continuously before having to move your vehicle. These signs also usually show the times and days to which these restrictions apply.

A driver must not park continuously on a length of road, or in an area to which a permissive parking sign applies for longer than the period indicated by information on or with the sign.