MARIBYRNONG City Council has reaped more than $1.5 million in parking revenue and fines since it introduced paid parking in 2005.

And it stands to collect much more when it installs an extra 30 parking ticket machines around Footscray’s CBD.

The council has collected $736,080 from the five machines placed around Nicholson St in 2005, and the five added to Droop, Byron and Ryan streets last year.

But the real cash cow lies in the 14,831 parking infringements issued, bringing in an extra $815,705.

The number of infringements has steadily increased from 3467 during the 2005-06 financial year to 6303 in the 2007-08 financial year, but street-specific figures show the number of infringements in Byron and Ryan streets is on the decline.

The new machines - including the addition of 21 on-street and nine off-street ticket machines - have angered local traders.

Footscray Traders Association President Lidia Cammarano said the FTA met the council at the end of July to discuss its concerns.

Ms Cammarano said extended time limits and the safety of car parks and their workers were prime concerns for the traders.

“We had a little discussion in regards to which way is the best way to handle it and it’s still open … it’s not quite finalised,” she said.

“It’s looking positive, we hope it all comes together because, at the end of the day, it’s for the benefit of the shoppers who come to Footscray.”

FTA member Fiona McDonnell said traders wanted to be a part of a committee that tracked where parking machines revenue went.

The FTA threatened to cause an uproar if the council would not negotiate.

Meanwhile, the Footscray Asian Business Association (FABA) has also been in talks.

Spokesman Benny Binh Van Le said the existing ticket machines had affected business, despite the council expounding on the benefits.

“The council, they give a lot of numbers and figures and surveys that say (the machines) are good, but I don’t know,” he said.

Mr Le recommended a year-long trial period, during which the success of the meters would be reviewed.

The council, which originally had planned to start rolling out the machines from the middle of July, has halted their introduction in a bid to reach a mutually agreeable situation.

The general manager of infrastructure services, Soma Thevarajan, said the machines made for a better management of parking demand.

“It creates a higher turnover of on-street parking spaces … if people believe they will be able to find a park, they are more likely to travel to business districts.”

Mr Thevarajan said the money went towards improving the central business district.