Move to abolish

By Shaun Inguanzo
CENTRAL Dandenong traders are expected to support the permanent abolishment of parking fees after customer numbers rose from previous years during a twomonth free onstreet parking trial.
But the move to quash the fees could cut out $1.1 million in annual council revenue.
City of Greater Dandenong mayor Peter Brown last December called for a free parking trial over the Christmas and January period with the support of council.
Parking has been free on the streets of Central Dandenong since midDecember until meters were resumed this week.
However Cr Brown this week said he had received calls from traders along Langhorne and Lonsdale Streets in support of a move to make parking free on a permanent basis.
“Someone rang the other day from Lonsdale Street, and said his business (number of customers) had doubled,” Cr Brown said.
A full financial year of parking fees amounts to $1.1 million, Cr Brown said, but he argued that people should look ahead to the future and implement ideas that will improve the Central Dandenong trade district.
He ruled out that he felt confident the idea would be embraced by his fellow councillors, but said if passed, the free parking would hold benefit for retailers.
“We won’t get anywhere if we simply look back and say we won’t get a million here, we can’t do this or that.
“One of the causes of a lack of activity in Central Dandenong is parking meters, and that has been established by the feedback I have been given.”
Cr Brown said he originally planned to push for free parking soon after the summer trial, but noted the current budget incorporated revenue from parking meters, and any attempt to quash the income might impact on this financial year’s projects.
He said in a budget of $100 million, the $1.1 million of lost revenue could be absorbed.