BUSINESS owners in Stewart Street have won their fight over timed parking.
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After the matter was referred to Bathurst Regional Council's traffic committee, the decision was made to introduce 30-minute timed parking restrictions from 252 to 254 Stewart Street and on the opposite side of the road from 261 to 263 Stewart Street.
Business owners felt that the one-hour and all-day limits in those areas were too generous and had discouraged some customers from visiting them due to a lack of parking.
Little Acres butcher Jim Jordan said that if there weren't changes, businesses would suffer and potentially close.
"You're going to lose business if they can't get a park, and keep driving around and around the block. It's just not suitable for anybody," he said.
Councillor Alex Christian had joined the businesses owners in their fight and was pleased to see a that decision had been made in their favour.
He said the group had identified an issue that could be resolved quite easily and it was important for council to respond to that.
Council's decision will make a big difference to those businesses.
"After speaking with those business owners, it should make a tremendous difference," he said.
New signage reflecting the change to parking restrictions is expected to be put in place within a month.
However, there is still more work that needs to be done.
Business owners have said that people regularly disregard the one-hour parking signage as council's rangers don't monitor Stewart street.
"That is an issue that has been identified and I have been working with council on that to resolve it," Cr Christian said.
He added that people who park there all-day are "ignorant to the fact that it is impacting the businesses in the area" and if they continued to do it, there would be consequences.
"If you want to take the risk, you have a high chance of getting a ticket," he said.