CBD business owners say there is no simple solution to finding all-day parking for their staff, but agree taking spots away from prospective customers is never the answer.
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The issue of CBD parking is again in the headlines after deputy mayor Ian North and Bathurst Business Chamber president Stacey Whittaker called for long-term solutions last week.
Professionals Real Estate director James Thompson, who operates out of William Street, said it is up to each business to decide who they’d prefer to be parked nearby.
“I suppose businesses would have to make an assessment for themselves, whether they want the space out the front taken up by customers or the people who are in the building all day,” he said.
“For me, I’d rather see the spaces freed up throughout the day for clients to come and go than have people who are in the building all day filling them.”
Mr Thompson said Bathurst Regional Council could improve the parking situation by being more vigilant and transparent with the mobile parking enforcement car so motorists were more likely to move their cars and free-up space.
“The incognito style of how things are done with a camera is probably easier for the administrator, but it probably doesn’t do what it needs to for the flow of parking,” he said.
Cain Kensit Messenger director Jane Kensit said her staff are lucky to have just enough spots in a private carpark at the back of the building on William Street, so they don’t need to battle for timed parking.
However, she said such a set-up isn’t available for all CBD workers who want to keep vehicles close to their place of business.
“I do see people traipsing from the RSL car park and, with cold and frosty mornings and dark nights, I wouldn’t want to be traipsing over to the RSL,” she said.
Ms Kensit said she would prioritise client parking above that for employees but didn’t offer a solution to what council could do to ease parking problems.
Also on William Street, McIntosh McPhillamy and Co employees have found it difficult securing parking spots when they arrive for work.
Legal assistant Anne Lynch said most need to park behind the RSL Club and walk the rest of the way.
The situation isn’t much better for clients.
“It is quite a nightmare trying to get anything close to our office, even for our clients,” Ms Lynch said.
She suggested council consider the strain put on employees within the CBD and look for a way to reconfigure the car park behind the RSL.
“I know that the RSL does have a section of the car park that is all day, but there isn’t much and quite a bit of it is a few rows that are four hours,” Ms Lynch said.