Business owners and staff have been urged to stop parking in timed parking zones in Dubbo’s CBD, with the business chamber concerned the practice is deterring customers.
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Dubbo Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Matt Wright has received complaints from business owners and customers about some CBD businesses taking up parks in front of their premises, often all day.
The chamber has even received reports of car owners wiping the chalk from car tyres after council’s parking inspector has been past.
“By taking up those spaces it’s probably impacting other businesses,” Mr Wright said.
“It’s about being respectful … to not only their own clients but the customers of other businesses that are located nearby.”
Church Street was a particular hot spot for the practice, Mr Wright said, but it was rife throughout the CBD.
He argued there was “ample” parking in the CBD, and didn’t want to see paid parking in Dubbo.
Instead Mr Wright has called on Dubbo Regional Council to consider boosting the number of parking inspectors to help deter the practice.
It’s an idea Mayor Ben Shields is open to.
“He’s right. We’re probably going to have to look at further capacity to patrol people who are there more than their allocated time,” Councillor Shields said.
“But in the meantime I think we need to look at an education program, to encourage people to do the right thing.
“There wouldn't be a week that goes by where I don’t have a complaint from someone who can’t find parking in that area.
“It would be a very foolish business owner or manager who would park their car in the way of their customers … we’ve all got to remember we’re on team Dubbo.”
As Dubbo grows, Mr Wright said people would have to change their habits.
“Businesses … might have to walk 200 metres to work instead of 100 metres,” he said. “It’s still a very convenient place to do business. We don’t have to pay for parking, that’s certainly something that we don’t want to see in the city … there’s plenty of [parking], I think it’s just about being smarter about the way we use it.”