Lines were added between Russell and Keppel streets in November, 2014 as part of Bathurst Regional Council’s plans to improve parking consistency across the city.

According to Councillor Warren Aubin, responses are currently being collated, but early results indicate that residents are responding positively to the addition of the lines.

“The angle parking trial is going fantastically well,” Cr Aubin said. “It has been so good that we’re planning on moving it into a busier block.”

Although there has been a mostly positive response from the public, Cr Aubin said some people have been vocal in their opposition to having lined parking in the CBD.

The issues cited included difficulty parking at such a sharp angle and being unable to see the lines in side mirrors. 

Cr Aubin, however, is confident that if people keep practising they won’t face any problems as residents have proven during the trial that they are capable of parking on the correct angle.

“The signs on every kerb in Bathurst do say 45 degrees, so all we are doing is actually enforcing it,” he said.

“It is something that people haven’t been used to doing so it is going to take some time, but if they keep at it they’ll get it.”

At this stage, the location of a future trial is undecided, but Cr Aubin did reveal several areas in the CBD that could benefit from enforced 45 degree parking. 

“I would say all areas are a concern, but to me [the most important] are either Howick Street or William Street, maybe lower on George Street and in Keppel Street,” he said. 

If another trial is put in place and proves successful, it could be just 12 months before the entire CBD is sporting white lines.

“It could be 12 months down the track that we bring it to the rest of the CBD, but we’ll have to see how the trial goes in a busier area,” Cr Aubin said.