They have called for the city council and hospital management to step in before tempers flare.

Some property owners have tried their own methods to keep cars off the grass, including placement of rocks and wooden stakes, garden waste and rubbish bins in front of their properties.

Recent counts showed more than 120 vehicles parked illegally west of Henna Street in the hospital precinct.

A group of Koroit Street residents yesterday aired their grievances to The Standard following the council’s announcement of moves to get illegally-parked vehicles off nature strips east of Banyan Street.

They attributed most of the vehicles to staff employed at the healthcare campus, which is the city’s biggest employer with about 800 equivalent full-time employees.

Residents suggested the council start issuing penalty notices for offenders, the showgrounds or Friendly Societies Park be considered as an off-street parking area, residents be issued with parking permits and consideration be given to cutting indented parking bays into nature strips.

“Enough is enough,” resident Megan Cullum said. “I’ve been raising it with council officers since 2009, but we are getting nowhere.

“Koroit Street is a heritage area and a major access road into the city, yet it is becoming a huge parking bay.”

Ian Slockwitch, Michael Roche and Ian Jarvis said residents realised hospital staff needed parking space, but the situation was growing worse.

“It’s getting to the point of rudeness by drivers,” Mr Jarvis said.

Mr Slockwitch said when he took the issue to a council officer he was advised to canvass residents’ views. 

“They don’t seem to give a damn about residents,” he said.

Vincent Gagniere said congested parking on nature strips hindered the ability for emergency services vehicles to access a property.

“It’s also a safety issue for pedestrians trying to cross the street and drivers trying to see around parked vehicles,” he said.

City council communications manager Nick Higgins said engineers had been asked to put forward proposals to ease parking pressure.

“In the hospital precinct we have to be mindful of the needs of residents along with health service staff and visitors,” he said.

South West Healthcare declined to comment.