Main Street parking at centre of debate amongst business owners

Emu Springs Antiques and Old Wares business owner Rosemary Wynands said she was recently booked for staying over the hour time limit as she was unloading her vehicle.

"I don't have an access to the laneway entrance, it's a very small shop I am in and I was alone trying to unload my car," she said.

According to Ms Wynand there were plenty of parking spots for people to use.

"The business next door is closed on Monday as well as the business across the road, then next to me is an accountant and then an empty shop, so I wasn't disrupting their business," she said.

As a sole trader with no loading zone in front of her shop, she said it was difficult to try and unload everything alone within the given time limit.

Lithgow City Council's director of economic development Andrew Muir said loading zones were for the purpose of allowing, primarily commercial vehicles, to deliver goods to shops unimpeded.

"Loading Zones are classified as 'vehicle specific' not 'job specific', which means a vehicle that complies with Road Rules 2014 being a vehicle for the purpose of loading or unloading of goods is allowed," he said.

"They are utilities, vans, trucks and station wagons. Any other vehicle such as sedans, coupe or people movers are not permitted to stop in a [loading zone].

"Station wagons have a time limit of 15 minutes, utilities, vans and trucks have a limit of 30 minutes unless otherwise signposted."

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Ms Wynand said she thought it was odd that Bridge Street had two hour parking but Main Street only got one hour.

Mr Muir said the one hour rule was designed for safe and continual traffic flow allowing customers to park close to their intended shopping destination and then move on.

"This means that all shops in the street have the same opportunity for their customers to shop without tying up space all day which otherwise may stop customers from entering the intended shop," he said.

The incident was the second time within a month that she had been booked for unloading her car.

"There are plenty of businesses up this end of town that need more time such as restaurants, cafes, and massage therapists," she said.

"We also have the cinema, where residents can only park for an hour and some of them can't park further away.

"I think I am just going to go if I can't win this through State Revenue because I just can't afford to stay here.

"I know I was in the wrong but no shops were open, I wasn't taking any parking spots so I am just annoyed."

Bellisimo shop owner Dianne Bennett agreed that the top end of Main Street has become very quiet over the past two years since she bought the business.

"Previously you would be doing two to three laps before you can even park anywhere, but now there is plenty of parking," she said.

"But that also means your customers have a place to park, they leave after an hour and then someone else comes."

Ms Bennett said she felt sorry for Ms Wynand with the parking fines she received.

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"I'm not sure what the answer is unfortunately, whether that be an extra hour or just more promotion of our stores," she said.

When pre-polling was being conducted in a store front on the Main Street that brought a lot of customers through her doors.

"There's not high confidence in town at the moment, I think we just have to keep going and give customers more incentive to shop here," she said.

"But it isn't an easy thing, and I don't really know what the answer is."

Mobility Aid owner Cathy Collins said, despite the top end of Main Street not having one of the big food chains, they were still quite prosperous.

"We will soon have Headspace as well so hopefully that will bring more people," she said.

Ms Collins said the parking issue plaguing her business was the need for more disabled parking spots.

"We have clients on oxygen or that use walkers that have to stop to catch their breath when they walk up from the current disabled parking spots," she said.

"We luckily have access through the laneway behind the business but that is a long way from the back to the front of the store for those with walkers."

Ms Collins said she thought that one hour parking was excellent because it meant people could always find a place to park.

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Ms Collins said she hoped people continued to shop and park in Main Street.

"I just love Lithgow and it's people and would hate to see the town go backwards."

Mr Muir said that, despite limited parking on Main Street, any amendments to the current parking situation would be considered on its own merits.

"Council is of the opinion that parking on the Main Street of Lithgow needs to be reviewed holistically. To this effect, as part of future works and upgrades on the Main Street, Council's Traffic Committee TALC will be requested to take part in such a review," he said.

"As part of this review, business owners will be requested to comment in order to ensure that the needs of all stakeholders are considered."

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