SHOPKEEPERS have been granted an extra 12 months to adjust to Tamworth Regional Council’s divisive plan to open a section of Peel St during the country music festival.
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A letter from Tamworth mayor Col Murray circulated among CBD businesses yesterday announced the council would not proceed with the proposed change next year.
However, Cr Murray made it clear that business owners can expect Peel St – between Brisbane and Bourke streets – to be opened to vehicles for the 2016 event.
The council has been rocked in the past fortnight by a torrent of criticism from business owners in the block for failing to consult with them about the move.
Many only learned of the proposal when they read about it in The Leader and claimed three months’ notice was not enough time to adjust to the expected drop in pedestrians.
The backlash prompted councillors and staff to meet last week and reconsider the matter, with an alternative proposal to go before the traffic committee in the coming weeks.
“Following concerns expressed by some businesses ... council now intends to introduce an interim measure for the 2015 festival,” Cr Murray said in the letter.
“This interim measure is to close Peel St between Brisbane and Bourke streets. This section, however, would be reopened to traffic during the 2016 festival.”
Under the revised plan, Brisbane St, between Kable Ave and Marius St, will still be opened to traffic in 2015 and a 40km/h speed limit put in place.
Roger Cupples from Tamworth Outdoors and Camping World said the council’s insistence on opening Brisbane St would still segregate the block from the festival’s hub.
He said it was highly likely festivalgoers would get to the intersection of Peel and Brisbane streets, see the traffic and “turn around and go back up”.
“To me, it’s not really fixing the problem,” he said. “This whole change to the country music festival isn’t fair and it’s not right.
“It’s not fair on the retailers because (the opening of Brisbane St) is still going to restrict foot traffic here and it’s not right from a safety point of view.”
Cr Murray told The Leader the traffic management plan needed to evolve as the festival expanded into Fitzroy St and Bicentennial Park.
“There’s a lot more activities in the park now and that’s been something the community has asked for,” he said.
“The epicentre of the festival is probably going to move in that direction. We don’t see the number of people in Peel St as we used to in the ’90s.”