Businesses backing on to the Anson Street car park have had mixed reactions to the changed traffic conditions following the opening of the north Orange Woolworths.
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It was hoped the north Orange shopping centre would take the pressure off the public car park in the central business district and improve car space availability.
Nick Hansen from Hansen Optometrists said he had noticed a small difference with 70 per cent of his customers using the back access.
“It’s certainly taken the pressure off early in the morning,” he said.
“But it’s still a busy car park.”
Jill Grindrod from Chemmart Pharmacy said she had definitely noticed an improvement in the car park, which used to be “chaos”.
“It still has its moments when it’s busy but there’s definitely more car parks,” she said.
“We’ve had comments that it’s much easier to find a car park. The turnover is better.”
Jane Murphy from Oze Pharmacy said the north Orange shopping complex hadn’t stopped business.
“It [the new complex] is good for people up that end of town but traditionally people do their shopping in town,” she said.
Ash Brown from Hardback Cafe said it had not fixed the long-term parking problem.
In the first weeks after the new centre opened he noticed an increase in car spaces but shoppers were quick to return to the CBD when the novelty wore off.
Michael Manners from Manners & Borg says he has noticed little change in the car park.
“We haven’t had postive or negative feedback,” he said.
Orange City Council’s parking officers have still been able to identify peak times when all 360 car park spaces are used, corporate and community relations manager Nick Redmond said.
“There are still periods with congestion,” he said.
“But it’s taken those high peaks out of it.”
clare.colley@ruralpress.com
