Toowoomba Regional Council makes CBD parking free, discounted to support small businesses amid Covid

The cutting of parking fees is a response to pleas for help from the city’s business community.

Toowoomba CBD parking in March will be free or heavily reduced. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Street parking in the CBD will be free next month, in a move the Toowoomba Regional Council hopes will encourage residents to head back to the city centre to shop.

The change, which was passed by the council at Tuesday’s ordinary meeting, will make on-street parking free and reduce the cost of off-street parks by 50 per cent.

It comes as local operators have reported poor patronage and turnover due to fears around the ongoing Omicron variant, with the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce calling the situation worse than when the Covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020.

Time limits would still be enforced by officers.

Councillor Melissa Taylor, who introduced the motion to her colleagues, said the council had to take the initiative to support small businesses.

“It’s really trying to encourage people to come into the city,” she said.

“There’s not a lot we can do, but this is something we have control over.

“This is our way of saying to businesses that we are here to support you.

“That reduction in revenue is going to affect council, but businesses are struggling too so it’s about showing solidarity.”

Councillor Rebecca Vonhoff backed the motion, saying the success of the CBD needed a healthy small business class.

“If we want the CBD, we have to support the businesses,” she said.

“This will hurt council’s revenue for the month, and that’s the point.

“I hope it has a motivating effect to get people to head into the CBD and shop.”

Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Rohl welcomed the move, saying he appreciated the gesture.

“Any gesture of goodwill like this is appreciated, considering the beginning of 2022 has had a greater impact on the business community than March 2020,” he said.

“Anyone who wants to deliver help for small business would have great support from the Toowoomba Chamber.”

Mr Rohl said he would like to see a general media campaign and other cost reductions by the council to further encourage residents to get out to cafes, restaurants, bars and shops.

“We’d like a reduction in annual licence fees, reduction in application fees, local government taxes — all those typical things, we’d like to see some commercial rate relief,” he said.

“The Toowoomba Chamber would like the whole narrative changed from the fear of going out.

“We want people to look at how people can out safely,” Mr Rohl said.