Hundreds of traffic fines allegedly abandoned as overseas visitors leave Sydney without paying

By SARAH BROOKES - SENIOR REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 07:26, 5 August 2026 | Updated: 07:26, 5 August 2026 Hundreds of unpaid traffic fines worth potentially millions of dollars are allegedly being racked up by overseas visitors who simply fly home without paying them.  Some Sydney residents have claimed they discovered piles of final notices abandoned outside apartments leased as Airbnbs. One local, Linda, told 2GB host Ben Fordham that more than 300 infringement notices had been found across apartment buildings in Ultimo and Pyrmont.  These included penalties for speeding, running red lights, illegal parking and seatbelt offences. 'It's been going on for quite some time,' Linda said on Wednesday. 'I've been chatting to other locals who are very upset and have been trying to get something done about it.' Linda claimed new envelopes addressed to visitors staying in short-term rentals arrive every few weeks.  She said a neighbour gathered a 'whole Coles shopping bag full' of unpaid fines, while two other residents had amassed more than 60 notices. 2GB host Ben Fordham said the allegations raised serious questions about whether authorities were able to recover fines issued to overseas visitors  Hundreds of unpaid traffic fines are allegedly being racked up by overseas visitors to Sydney Many of the envelopes are final notices and are either left on top of letterboxes or tossed onto the ground, Linda claimed. One notice seen by 2GB listed more than $2,300 worth of offences, including breaching parking restrictions, speeding, running a red light and failing to properly restrain a passenger. Another sought almost $3,000 for allegedly travelling more than 70km/h over the speed limit in Sydney's Cross City Tunnel.  Linda said a fresh batch of notices would arrive each time one group of short-term tenants moved out. 'They just throw the envelopes away or rip them up and leave them on the ground,' she said. 'Nobody seems to be able to do anything.' She added that locals had raised concerns with councillors and police, but the problem continued. Linda initially assumed the fines were linked to rental cars but claimed many of the vehicles involved were old, poorly maintained cars. 'Some of them have cable ties holding them together,' she said. Linda also claimed a man who had since returned to France had accumulated more than $100,000 in fines and registered eight vehicles in his name.  'How is that happening? I don't know,' she said.