Don't get towed! Inside Australia's hyper-strict clearway rules
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The roads are filled with cars that have been towed within minutes of a clearway taking effect – here’s what you need to know.
Clearways and tow-away zones are set to become more commonplace on Australian roads as governments work to beat congestion and improve peak-hour traffic flow.
Since December 2013, the New South Wales Government has installed approximately 743km of clearways across Sydney.
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Meanwhile, from December 2020 onwards, the Victorian Government converted 221km of existing clearways around Melbourne’s CBD to tow-away zones.
Clearways can also be found on most metropolitan roads across all other states and territories in Australia.
While not all clearways are tow-away zones, there’s a high chance if you park in a clearway during its operational hours, you might come back to find your car has disappeared.
In particular, tow truck operators in Melbourne are notoriously cutthroat, often enforcing clearway rules within minutes of the posted time.
“They don't muck around! 4.04pm on the edge of the CBD and the clearway is being enforced,” one Reddit user wrote on a 2024 post with a photo of a vehicle being impounded by a tow truck.
Knowing the rules around clearways becomes particularly important during holiday periods when tow-truck operators are still out in full force.
To ensure you’re not stuck with a hefty fine and a car-less Christmas, here’s what you need to know.
What is a clearway?
According to the Victorian Department of Transport, “a clearway is a section of road where parking and stopping are not allowed at the times shown on the clearway sign”.
“Your vehicle won't be towed away if it is illegally parked in a clearway, but you may get fined.”
Not all clearways are tow-away zones, but if they are it should be stated on the clearway sign.
Unlike ‘no parking zones’ – which allow motorists to stop for a period of less than two minutes to pick up or drop off passengers – clearways do not permit drivers to stop for any reason.
What is a tow-away zone?
“A tow-away zone is a section of road where parking is not allowed at certain times shown on the sign, from which vehicles will be towed away,” the Victorian Department of Transport states.
Tow-away zones can be standalone or can apply to clearways or ‘no stopping’ zones. They may be in effect year-round, at certain times of the day or week, or during special events.
What are clearway hours?
“If there are no times on the sign, the clearway applies 24 hours a day,” the Victorian Department of Transport explains.
However, plenty of clearways will state a specific time of operation. For example, clearways in NSW tend to be in place at consistent times across the road network, including:
- Weekday morning (6am – 10am)
- Middle of weekday (10am – 3pm)
- Weekday afternoon (3pm – 7pm)
- Weekend short day (9am – 6pm)
- Weekend long day (8am – 8pm)
- 24 hours across seven days (at all times).
Do clearways operate on public holidays?
Whether or not a clearway is operational on a public holiday depends entirely on the related signage.
In Victoria, if the sign states a particular day of the week (i.e. Monday – Friday or 10am – 2pm Wednesday) then that sign will not apply on a public holiday.
If it doesn’t show a day of the week, assume it applies year-round, including public holidays.
“Signed parking restrictions still apply on public holidays if a parking sign does not show a day of the week,” Victoria’s Department of Transport explains.
“For example, if a parking sign only shows two hours of parking from 7am – 6pm then this will apply every day of the year, including public holidays.”
It’s a similar case in Queensland, where “parking signs that specify certain days of the week (example Monday – Friday) do not apply on public holidays”.
The same goes for NSW, although, unlike Victoria, signs for clearways in NSW will often clearly state whether they are operational during public holidays.
Is there a grace period for clearways?
No, there is no grace period for clearways.
Victoria’s tow truck drivers are famously brutal and have been known to tow cars within seconds of the clearway time taking effect.
Brisbane’s City Council also states “Any vehicle parked in a clearway will be towed as soon as possible”.
Meanwhile, in New South Wales, the government implemented a 10-minute grace period for certain parking offences in 2019, but this grace period does not explicitly apply to clearways so consider yourself warned.
Can you stop your car from being towed?
It depends on what part of the process the tow truck driver is in when you return to your vehicle.
If they are still in the area where you parked and it’s safe for them to do so, they may release your vehicle, but you’ll still have to pay the associated fees and fines.
However, if they are driving away from the area or there’s no safe place to release the vehicle, you will have to follow the tow truck to the impound lot.
What are the fines for being towed?
Unfortunately, if your car is towed you’ll face two hefty costs: the fine for illegally parking in a clearway or tow-away zone, plus the cost to release the vehicle from the impound yard.
For example, in Victoria, the parking fine is $198 and the release fee is $490, provided you pick it up within 48 hours of it being towed.
Unfortunately, if you do not pick up your vehicle within the prescribed time, the release fee might increase each day.
The City of Adelaide advises drivers: “Please note that storage fees for vehicles increase each day. All costs of removal and storage will be incurred by the owner”.
MORE: Is parking free on public holidays?
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