A one-storey car park in Ellesmere St would solve Goulburn’s CBD parking problems for “many years to come,” said Council general manager Warwick Bennett.

A design, doubling the current number of spaces, is due in mid January. Councillors will consider the project at a capital works workshop in February.

Mr Bennett said the estimated $2.5 million to $3m price tag could be borrowed or funded from general revenue.

Council talks with the Goulburn Workers Club are also on the boil.

The Club is considering a multi-storey car park for its land on the Clifford/McKell Place corner.

“We have started discussions about the possibility of working with them to facilitate a public car park as well,” Mr Bennett said. This would not necessarily involve direct investment but possibly a lease arrangement.

Those projects may be some time off but in the meantime, CBD parking pressures will be relieved with the addition of 75 spots.

Changes from parallel to angle parking, deletion of unused bus zones and demolition of a bus shelter in Cartwright Place will free up the spaces.

It coincides with complaints that tree planting in Auburn St has removed four valuable spots.

Councillors signed off on the changes at their meeting on Tuesday. It followed a recommendation from the traffic committee.

More spaces will become available in busy perimeter streets.

Bourke St will benefit from an additional 43 spots through:

* Abolishing a bus zone on the eastern side between Clinton and Verner Streets;

* Changing a section on the west side of the same block to angle parking;

* Angle parking on the western side between Verner and Church Streets.

Angle parking will also be introduced on the western side of Sloane St from Verner to Montague St, creating nine spaces. Five more spots will be freed up with the same change to Sloane Street’s eastern aspect between Craig and Bradley Streets.

Demolition of the Cartwright St bus shelter has created 16 spaces.

Two-hour restricted parking will be introduced to areas deemed to be in demand. This includes Bourke St between Verner and Montague Streets. But the council has loosened the reins in many other areas. In ‘low demand’ zones such as parts of Sloane and Bradley St and the rear of the Huntly Arcade, unrestricted parking will be introduced.

Cr Margaret O’Neill opposed the Huntly Arcade change at Tuesday’s meeting, arguing employees of surrounding businesses would take up the spaces.

“To be unified with other large car parks in the area it should be four hours,” she said.

But Deputy Mayor Bob Kirk saw no “good reason” for the alteration. He said there was a need for all-day parking around the CBD. Cr Andrew Banfield also pointed out that when he was in business, employees were directed not to take spots that customers would use.

Cr Robin Saville hoped a new 30-minute parking restriction in front of the Goulburn Regional Conservatorium between 3pm and 6pm schooldays would be “strictly enforced.”

“People double park there (when dropping off children) and it is very dangerous,” he said.

On another front, Mr Bennett is talking with the RMS about diverting traffic out of Auburn St and on to Sloane St using signage. His aim is to make Auburn St more pedestrian friendly.