Disability housing residents along Cheltenham Road Dandenong say street car parking has become a storage space for a car rental business just across the road.
Corey Paton is one of the many residents living in the double storey units, saying the unmoved cars pose serious safety concerns and inconvenience.
“This is outside disability housing – residents that include people with mobility and health challenges.
“The cars attract theft and break-ins, creating a safety and security risk.
“We literally have to park at a different street, any sort of daily activities become a lot harder.
“A lot of us end up ordering Uber Eats. It’s difficult for them to deliver it far away and we have to go pick it up from the back.”
Up to 20 rental cars are said to be parked in the spaces outside their residences.
An elderly resident, Gareth Jones was recently discharged from hospital after a hip replacement surgery, making it extremely inconvenient for him to park in the back street.
Usually, like most residents, he would park in front of his unit, easily accessible especially for grocery shopping runs.
Mr Paton says some of the cars are without licence plates, some hold South Australian plates making it unregistered in Victoria and most of the cars sit unmoved for months.
Some of the cars have also been broken and on one occasion, Mr Paton had to call police to report the theft of the licensed plate.
Star Journal contacted the rental-car business’s owner, who said he was “in the middle of something.”
“A lot of our cars have been vandalised and damaged so it’s the other way around – we are the victims.
“I don’t know who is doing this, it’s been reported to the police as well.”
Being a resident for almost 10 years, Mr Paton first noticed the issue at the beginning of the year when he saw the business logos behind the cars, but he suspects this has been going on for longer.
Asked whether he reached out to the business, Mr Paton says, “they literally laughed at me saying too bad there’s nothing you can do about it. They turned very petty.”
That was the last communication he had before turning to Greater Dandenong Council, the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure’s office, Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams and Vic Roads, but the issue remains.
Four cars have been removed as they were without a licensed plate, Mr Paton says. But they are only replaced by other cars from the business, he says.
“It appears to exploit enforcement gaps. Cars sit for months until stickered, then are shuffled and replaced, effectively gaming the system while council action stalls.”
Recently, Council’s city future’s executive director, Sanjay Manivasagasivam said compliance officers are making enquiries with the business “to ensure permit requirements are being met.”
“Cheltenham Road is managed by the State Government and problems related to parking at this location can be reported via the VicRoads website or by calling 13 11 71.
“Likewise, criminal activity such as theft from vehicles should be reported to Victoria Police.
“We have provided the above advice to residents who have contacted us regarding this matter.”
Star Journal made an enquiry to the Department of Transport but were referred to Victoria Police and Greater Dandenong Council, as parking issues aren’t dealt by the transport team, they said.
Mr Paton says he wants a solution for the cars to stop being dumped there, saying a resident-only parking permit would be ideal.
But he concedes this may be difficult, given the council has refused residential parking-permit proposals on Bassett Street.
