Changes to parking at The Rock have “caused havoc” and outraged both residents and the business community.
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Two islands were placed on both sides of Urana Street to enhance pedestrian safety with the islands narrowing the flow of traffic.
As a consequence, the alterations also mean several parking spaces have been removed at the front of the Yellow Door Cafe and the volunteer-run Craft Shop.
Before the new measures were put in place, there were seven 45-degree parks at the front of the Cafe. This has been cut to just three.
Owner of Yellow Door Cafe, Jessica Tilden, said there was no notification about the works which prevented her from accessing the front of her shop for more than a week.
“People think I’m shut - business has dropped in a week-and-a-half,” she said.
“Personally I think they (the traffic islands) need to go.”
The islands were installed in late April and have “caused havoc” since.
Ms Tilden said she has seen three trucks and a car go over the top of the islands with the car being damaged in the process.
President of the Craft Shop Joy Schultz said the lack of parking out the front is detrimental to sales.
“We rely on people to park out the front to come in,” Ms Schultz said.
“People will look but drive off, they won’t park around the corner.”
Since the changes were made sales have dropped with no one even entering the shop one Sunday.
“Who on earth thought this was a good idea,” Craft Shop volunteer Sandy Sweeney said.
“It has not been thought through.”
Trucks, buses and wider vehicles have to negotiate the islands carefully while bicycle riders need to merge onto the footpath or into the middle of the road to pass.
A petition asking for the islands to be altered received more than 150 signatures in seven days. The concern from the community and from councillors has led to the islands being reduced in size.
“They are going to be reduced to give more flexibility to traffic,” Lockhart Shire Council mayor Peter Yates said.
The design and size of the island were stipulated by Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) but council was able to have the design reviewed and reduced in size.
However, parking at the front of businesses won’t change back “at this stage.”
“All the designs were approved before the shop (Yellow Door Cafe opened. We will try to assist if it has caused difficulty.”