Councillor Dayne Gumley raised the issue at the recent Dubbo Regional Council meeting. He called for the Chief Executive Officer to undertake an audit of the CBD lighting.

“A few people have spoken to me about what they think is inadequate car park lighting and I have to agree with them. I think the lighting could be a lot better than what it is,” Cr Gumley said.

All of the public car parks will be reviewed, first to find out if better lighting is needed and then to determine how much it would cost to install additional lights.

Free car parks in the CBD include Bligh Street, Holls Avenue, Talbragar Street and Church Street.

“The issues was raised with me firstly in relation to the car park behind RB Sellars, the old Dick Smith. That area from what I’m told is particularly bad at night and you’ve got staff members from local businesses walking back to their car after their shift and they don’t feel safe simply because it’s dark but because it’s dark you also end up with undesirables who can loiter about out of plain sight,” Cr Gumley said.

Councilor Greg Mohr said he also believed better lighting would ensure people wouldn’t be hanging around the car parks when they they shouldn’t be.

In addition, he said it would make it less likely for people to trip over the footpaths.

As well as improving safety, it would also boost the aesthetics of the CBD, Cr Gumley said. Major developments were already happening in Macquarie Street at the moment and council should capitalise on those improvements, the councillor said.

“We have to keep up and make sure the CBD is like that across the entire main street rather than just having pockets of nice areas and then pockets of areas you don’t really want to be at,” he said.

Mayor Ben Shields was also supportive of the plan.

“Anything we can do to make our community safer is a good thing, full stop,” he said.

A report on the CBD car park lighting audit will be prepared for the October council meeting.