COUNCILLORS have put a halt to a police push to solve a traffic issue on an East Tamworth road.
It was suggested to council by the police parallel parking on the eastern side of Carthage Street between Brisbane and White streets would improve visibility and traffic flow for drivers.
The traffic committee approved the idea and recommended council approve the parking changes.
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But the move was stopped in its tracks by Tamworth’s councillors.
Some claimed putting the majority of parking spaces on the opposite side of the road to the St John’s church and eye doctors’ surgery would pose its own safety issues.
Juanita Wilson led the charge against the parking change and said she wouldn’t vote for the recommended plan.
“On the eastern side there’s St John’s church which has a solid population,” she said.
“There’s a lot of funerals, weddings and activities there and to have the most dense population of parking across the road when a lot of people will need to walk across road who are aged, it is an issue.
“I can’t see the logic.”
Helen Tickle raised similar concerns relating to ophthalmologists’ surgery on the next block.
When asked for some information about the decision to change the parking arrangement, chair of the traffic committee Phil Betts said it was raised by police.
“As it is, with 45 degree parking on both sides, it’s very congested,” he said.
“There’s been a number of incidents police have had to attend to because of the congestion.”
The report to council suggested “45 degree rear to kerb parking spaces should be painted on the western side of the road”.
There are currently no parking spaces or edge lines marked on the road to delineate parking areas.
There is currently 45 degree rear to kerb parking on both sides of the road.
According to the council report, Carthage Street is 17.4 metres wide.
Councillors amended the motion and voted to further investigate the parking changes at its Tuesday night meeting.
Jacob McArthur
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
