Plan bad for business

New parking rules could see by-appointment clinics leave CBD

TOOWOOMBA CBD hairdressers worry changes to the down-town parking rules will ruin their businesses.

Studio 343 owner Tegan Gorry said limiting Ruthven St parking to one hour will not give her clients enough time for a treatment.

She is concerned they will have to run out of her salon with foils, dye and rollers still in place to move their car and avoid a fine.

“If we have to stop in the middle of a treatment it will throw the whole appointment off,” Ms Gorry said.

Ms Gorry said the end of Ruthven St from Russell St to Chalk Drive is lined with businesses – like tattoo parlours, massage clinics and beauticians – that rely on appointments running longer than an hour.

She launched a petition asking the Toowoomba Regional Council to rethink its plan.

“Ideally the centre parking from Russell St to Chalk Drive needs to stay at two hours and there has to be something to monitor workers parking down town,” she said.

One option is to install meters. Ms Gorry said charging would not affect short-term shoppers but would give workers an incentive to stick to the long-term car parks.

“My clients would be happy to pay,” she said.

Her neighbour – Arguelo’s Studio Hair Bar owner Carole Robinson – said the changes will force business out.

“We have been here for 11 years and we have seen things improve with the street scape and our end of Ruthven St looks much better, but to have this plonked on us without consultation is both frustrating and insulting,” Ms Robinson said.

“I understand the complaints coming from the centre of town, near Margaret St. I feel for them but the council should not apply blanket rules.

“In a country town you cannot have successful commerce without adequate parking.”

The council will trial the new parking arrangements from August 5.