Councillors agreed to the trial following a short discussion at Wednesday night’s monthly meeting.

Council’s traffic committee had already recommended the trial, which had to be rubber-stamped by councillors.

Committee chairman Councillor Warren Aubin led the discussion on the matter, saying the way drivers currently park around the CBD was “woeful”.

“When one car parks at the wrong angle then everyone else parks the same,” he said.

Cr Aubin said getting drivers to park at the correct 45 degrees would make it easier to get around the CBD.

He said cars parked at 45 degrees took up less width on the road and drivers needed a smaller turning circle when performing a reverse park at 45 degrees.

That meant there was more room for other cars to go round the reversing driver, which would improve traffic flow on Bathurst’s busiest streets.

“The statistics show you can get more cars parked along the street at 60 degrees than 45 degrees, but with the advent of our new camera car we are now getting more turnover so it’s easier to find a park anyway,” he said.

“The idea here is to educate people about parking at 45 degrees because it will make traffic flow easier in the CBD because cars will not take up as much room.

“Currently when people are doing a reverse park the people behind have to stop and wait for them to finish – it’s not the law but that’s what happens.

“If they park at 45 degrees those cars take up less roadway to park and take off – it’s a lot safer.”

But not everyone agreed.

Cr Bobby Bourke vehemently opposed the recommendation, saying Bathurst drivers did not want to be told how to park.

He also criticised a lack of detail in the proposal and suggested it was all a cynical revenue-raising plan.

“First, there’s no mention of what this trial might cost us and there’s no budget for it,” Cr Bourke said.

“And Bathurst people have been parking like this for years – it’s our town, we pay our rates, we pay our fees to the RMS and we just want to go along happily with our lives.

“If this does go ahead then you know what will happen – our nice new camera car will go around and fine everyone who’s not parked within the lines and, hey presto, more revenue for council.”

Engineering services director Doug Patterson confirmed there was no specific budget for a line-marking trial, but advised councillors it could be funded from the existing engineering budget. He expected the trial to cost “in the early thousands”.

Councillors voted to proceed with plans for a trial, though no timeline has been set. It’s expected the trial will be run on George Street between Howick and Russell streets.