The council has come under harsh criticism after announcing the January 29 construction date.

An ongoing Inverell Times poll has indicated that 78.27 per cent of 336 respondents disagree with the plan. Many locals stated that they were angered with the belief that the new Otho Street median strip would result in nose to curb parking. This will not occur.

“I am concerned, however, that reversing back into traffic (from nose-in parking) could become a problem for lower/longer vehicles like mine (a station wagon). If this problem is addressed, then I'm all for it,” one poll-taker said. 

“Our streets are way too narrow for a median strip to have enough room to park and if they decide on nose in parking it will cause more accidents as you're backing out blind. Backing into a park you can see whats behind you. With nose in parking most of the car is out before you can see whats coming,” another commented. 

“I really don’t know how people can misconstrue when council has not once in the Town Centre Renewal Plan indicated that there would be nose to curb parking. The parking in Otho Street and Byron Street is still rear to curb,” Cr Harmon said.

“There’s no nose in parking for the Town Centre Renewal Plan at all.”

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