Parking meters ruin small businesses

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Parking meters ruin small businesses

Council’s parking meters are ruining small businesses in West End as customers go elsewhere.

Mr Chris Economidis’s believes he may have to relocate his very successful auto-electrics business because of the new parking meters outside his shop in Jane Street, West End

 “I got six parking tickets last week and four at the same time in one day. That is $450 I have to pass onto my customers” said Chris Economidis .

Mr Ray Wilmot’s is concerned for his business and his neighbour Monty’s Auto Repairs Shop which has been in business in Mollison Street for 23 years offering trade services to locals. They were issued 6 parking fines in one day.

“No business can survive if they are paying for parking fines daily” said Chris Economidis

These small businesses are the last remaining service trade business in the West End peninsula. 

“When these businesses go, it means the residents will have to drive out of the peninsula for these services. This will add to the inner city travel congestion” said Helen Abrahams

These service trade business should be encouraged to stay to meet the needs of 33 000 future residents for the peninsula.

“Instead the Lord Mayor’s parking meters are driving them out of the suburb and increasing congestion as people will have to drive further to get their cars serviced” said Helen Abrahams

“Campbell Newman’s Liberal Council is giving the green light to some traders and ruining the business of others’ said Cr Abrahams
 
“The two coffee shops without parking meters are doing a roaring trade while the main retail strip is almost empty during the early morning take away coffee peak time.” 

Half the meters in Boundary Street start at 8 am while the meters start at 7 am outside the majority of the coffee shops.

Peter Marinelli, Swiss Deli, advised that his regular customers are staying away. It is too difficult to find a car park, pay the meter and then come in for a coffee. They are going to where there are no parking meters.

The Lord Mayor is playing with people’s livelihoods without any consultation or even a second thought to the impact on hard working people already hit by the economic downturn” said Cr Abrahams

The Lord Mayor has to consult with the West End traders” said Cr Abrahams

He should pick up the phone and talk to Mr Peter Marinelli, West End Traders Association. He has to come to a meeting to hear the real impact on these local businesses. He has to provide free, short terming parking for the take-away traders and “business meters” for the small traditional services trades in the area” said Cr Abrahams

:”I am ashamed to be part of a Council that is undoing all the great work of the Soorley administration to revitalise strip shopping centres and small businesses of our City” said Cr Abrahams

“The Lord Mayor’s parking meters are discriminatory. They are only in the inner suburbs. Business in the outer suburbs can flourish but the traders who have created our dynamic inner city shops are being squeezed out for the Lord Mayor “New World City”

I want to keep the “Old Town” feel for West End.
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