Dandenong South businesses on Fowler Road and surrounding areas say they are being “trampled” by overflow parking as the Progress Street level-crossing closure takes full effect.
As a result of the closure, traffic from businesses on Nathan Road and Progress St is diverted to a new road bridge onto Fowler Road with an existing 38 active driveways and then onto South Gippsland Highway.
As part of the project’s final designs, Fowler Road will receive new indented parking which increase the driveable width from 8 metres to 10 metres but reduces on-street parking by 22 spaces.
A Level Crossing Removal Project spokesperson has said the closure of the level-crossing “has improved safety and removed the risk of accidents between vehicles and trains.”
“In response to community and local business feedback, we’re building new indented parking on Fowler Road to increase road width and provide safer parking options for vehicles of all sizes.”
Currently, there’s a temporary commissioned building as a car park on 13 Fowler Rd with 67 spaces and despite that, some are forced to park in Nathan Road.
Colin Smith from JDN Monocrane on Nathan Road who operates oversized and over mass vehicles says he doesn’t blame the workers on Fowler Road who are forced to park in front of his business.
He fears for what’s coming next once the temporary commissioned space is no longer, upon completion of the indented parking.
“All the business on Fowler Road is being trampled on because of this stupidity.
“Everyone parks on Nathan Road and do the walk of shame over the bridge to get to their work,” he said.
“I’m not blaming them; they have to do what they have to do – I’m blaming the LXRP who will walk away from this, patting themselves on the back and it’s not reasonable. It’s been a terrible project.
“Conroy Removals are suffering because they can hardly get in and out of their business.”
Some of JDN Monocrane’s largest vehicles have to cut the corner of their driveway onto the nature strip to avoid their vehicle clashing with the power pole on the opposite side of the street.
If cars park on either side, there’s no way JDN Monocrane vehicles can get out to carry their operations, Mr Smith argues.
The matter was also brought by Mr Smith to City of Greater Dandenong’s attention via public question time on Monday 28 July.
He urged the council to limit parking to only JDN Monocrane and Accredited Distributors (directly opposite to JDN) staff in front of the businesses.
He said it would permit them to contact its vehicle owners to clear the area when required.
Council’s city futures executive director Sanjay Manivasagasivam confirmed there are no changes proposed to the current parking arrangements and council’s transport team will contact Mr Smith to discuss options.
Businesses in the area had long protested against the state government’s Progress Street level-crossing removal plan, saying it’s far more dangerous to force extra traffic of A and B Doubles, semi-trailers, trucks and vehicles down the narrow Fowler Road than the level-crossing itself.
Mr Smith as well as the nearby Australia Post centre are part of a Community Liaison Group (CLG) who held meetings and discussions with the level-crossing project team and Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams.
According to Mr Smith, at a recent CLG meeting, the LXRP said the indented carpark would cause 22 space reductions and that they’ve conducted surveys confirming there’s enough space on Nathan Road and Progress Street.
“I’m preparing for the final conclusion to this because everyone will be going out via the bridge, everyone will be parking on Nathan Road – 22 cars, it’s 132 metres of cars.
“They haven’t communicated this to any of the people on Nathan Road, they’ve only done it through the CLG that we’re involved in and there’s six of us, including Australia Post.”
The Fowler Road bridge opened to traffic in June.
All the works are expected to be complete by the end of 2025.
