New parking spots on
By Nicole Williams
73196
Pictures:
Donna Oates
PARKING in Springvale has become a nightmare for shoppers and traders.
Traders near the new Number 8 car park say they have been losing customers because the spaces in the multi-deck car park are too narrow to navigate and car parks have been cut from outside their store.
The introduction of the 550 space multi-deck car park in May more the doubled the available parks in the area but customers are refusing to park there in case they are unable to reverse out.
Sokha Ly is the owner of a grocery store on the corner of Buckingham and Balmoral avenues said once drivers get into parks in the Number 8 car park they can’t get out.
“Most people find that once they get in, it is very hard to get out,” she said.
“One of my customers parked and then had to call her son to come and reverse the car out.”
But it is not the only problem – parking at the front of her store has been cut by half and a large ‘no parking’ area introduced.
“We have half the car parks out the front and side – it used to be 21 spaces and now there are only 11 and there used to be 11 out the front and now there are only six.”
Muoi Nim from Viet Thanh homemade cakes said her customers won’t park in the Number 8 car park.
“I have customers that park further away and I say there are seven levels across the road,” she said.
“But they won’t park there. The spots are too small which is OK if you’re an expert.”
Both Ms Nim and Ms Ly said they had noticed fewer customers through their doors since the multi-deck car park opened in May.
Greater Dandenong Council Engineering Services Director Bruce Rendall said the car park met Australian standards and anyone concerned should contact the council.
“The Number 8 car park has been designed and constructed to Australian standards for multi-deck car parks,” he said.
“Council has not received any complaints about the sizes of the individual parks.”
Tom Huynh, president of the Springvale Asian Business Association, uses the car park but had seen plenty of people struggling to navigate the tight squeeze.
“I would understand (people having difficulties) because the car park is definitely narrow compared to some other areas,” he said.
“I have seen a few drivers spending quite a lot of time reversing in and out of the same spot.
“I use the car park most of the time because there are not many people using it so it is easy to get a park!”
Mr Rendall said the number of people using the car park was exceeding expectations.
“Opened for full use in May 2011, the car park meets the needs of the development, and allows a future growth factor,” he said. “Current usage is above expectations and continues to increase.”
