Originals to find traffic plan
IN A move The Band would be proud of, the Peregian Originals is trying to take a load off the coastal township that plays regular host to free Sunday concerts by coming up with a workable traffic and parking plan.
Concert organiser East Coast Originals management committee president Anita Sweeney fronted last Thursday's Sunshine Coast Council meeting to try and impress on councillors how they are making genuine efforts to work in with the community.
Council has extended its fortnightly concert permits until the end of September with the fate of future concerts still up in the air.
Ms Sweeney hopes that there would be no plans to revisit the former move to spread the concerts around the Coast to limit the impact on Peregian residents.
"We're hoping they leave us alone in terms of being able to operate as we do - best case scenario for us is that we have the 24 events we've got currently in Peregian Beach. That is where people want it to stay," she said.
Ms Sweeney was upfront with councillors, admitting that 60% of complaints received were about traffic and parking.
"I think that it's the most important thing to get right," Ms Sweeney said of the plan under preparation.
"I can understand why traffic's an issue for residents. If you've got people parking where you don't want them and you can't get access to your own property, that's an issue."
Ms Sweeney said an independent consultant has drawn up what the basic starting point of redirecting traffic.
"We feel we're a good way along that path," she said.
"You've got to give people a clear alternative of where they're able to go.
"We're still working with Rufus St (at the back of Peregian) which we've suggested a number of times in the past, but the redirection of signage will be a lot clearer than has happened."
The committee plans to present its plans to the Peregian Beach community, probably in a forum format so people have a chance to ask questions and make comments.
