CAN’T find a parking space in the Bathurst CBD?
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Well, you can’t be looking hard enough, because a new report has found about half the on-street spaces in the central business district are vacant at any given time.
The Draft Bathurst CBD Car Parking Strategy has been written to examine the current availability of parking in the centre of Bathurst and future needs.
It found that, on average, 49 per cent of the on-street car parking spaces in the CBD [1099 spaces] are vacant, along with 35 per cent of the off-street spaces [654 spaces].
That’s more than 1700 empty spots – but they may not be where you want them.
The strategy also found that car parking in the blocks around the William and Howick streets intersection is operating at capacity, meaning you might have to drive a bit further to find a park in George or William street in the block between Russell and Keppel streets.
A report to councillors by environmental planning and building services director David Shaw recommends changes to time limits in a number of CBD blocks to reflect the level of usage.
Mr Shaw suggests parking time limits be cut from one hour to just 30 minutes in the core retail blocks of Howick Street between William and Bentinck streets and William Street between Durham and Russell streets.
At the same time, though, it is suggested the time limit in George Street between Russell and Keppel streets be increased from two hours to three hours, with one-hour spaces in William Street between Russell and Keppel streets increased to two hours.
Mr Shaw also says council should consider changing the two-hour restriction in Russell Street between George and Rankin streets to just one hour following the relocation of the Centrelink and Medicare offices.
The strategy also identifies the Elizabeth Street car park as the most likely spot for the provision of new parking spaces into the future.
That car park, opposite the Bathurst Aquatic Centre, currently has an average of 80 vacant places and should be promoted as an all-day parking option, Mr Shaw states in his report.
Other key recommendations in the strategy include:
* Erecting signs to indicate all-day parking in the Bathurst Library car park, Elizabeth Street car park and at the Bathurst Information and Neighbourhood Centre.
* Providing lighting in the Elizabeth Street car park as a high priority as funding becomes available.
* Encouraging the shopping centre management to continue to enforce the time restrictions in the Stockland, Bathurst City Centre, Bathurst Chase and IGA car parks.
* Maintaining Elizabeth Street car park in public ownership.
* Councillors will consider the report at tonight’s meeting. The draft strategy will then go on public exhibition for a month.
