COUNCIL is seeking feedback on CBD parking as it looks to update its strategy for the first time in eight years.
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The Tamworth population is set to grow in coming decades and council is trying to get on the front-foot and cater for a bigger city.
While it might be difficult to imagine where more parking could be established in the centre of town, council asset manager Anna Russell said it was about finding a better way to utilise the 4000 existing CBD spaces.
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“There are car parks that aren’t being completely utilised and we want to know how we can get people to use those,” Mrs Russell said.
“Parking is actually a really complex area, you have to consider the cost, the walking distance, security issues, where people are trying to get to, the reason they’re parking there.
“You put all of those into a big pot and try and work out the best way of arranging the parking.”
While increasing the number of spaces is on the cards, Mrs Russell said council wanted to find the right mix of free, metered, off-street and on-street options.
“It’s worth noting all of the money collected from parking meters is reinvested back into parking infrastructure,” she said.
“This survey is a way of us determining how people would like to see their money spent.”
Peel Street hairdresser Chris Starr said her customers could sometimes get caught-out with the one hour parking limit on the main drag.
“Unless they can park up in Kmart, which is three hour parking, they can get snookered here in Peel Street because it’s only an hour.” Mrs Starr said.
“A lot were getting caught with that,” she said.
Design Hair Studio owner Jaye McHugh believed there was a need for more options in the CBD but it would be hard to find the space.
“I reckon we need a multi-level but, I just don’t know where it would go in the CBD,” Mrs McHugh said.
“It is pretty hard, they are restricted to an hour here.
“I’d suggest some form of multi-level parking, obviously, you’d have to pay for it, like a ticketed thing.
“We just need more for workers and for customers.”
The survey is available online until April 30.
The findings will be made public and delivered in a report to council before the end of June.