Traders in Yarraville and Footscray are celebrating the summer freeze on parking fees.
Footscray Traders Association president Ben Coyle said the decision was a good thing in the lead-up to Christmas.
“It was unfair when they put them in Footscray first,” Mr Coyle said. “It’s one council – it [paid parking] should be everywhere. But Yarraville has been vehemently opposed to the whole thing.”
Business operators in Yarraville claim the introduction of parking meters to the area has cut into their bottom line by as much as 30 per cent.
Yarraville Traders Association president Chris Xanthis said the decision to waive the fees meant Christmas had come early.
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“We’re happy and relieved that Maribyrnong council has finally listened to the legitimate concerns of its constituents and we applaud its decision to suspend operations, especially at our busiest time of year,” he said.
“It’s also a win for the residents of Yarraville and hopefully a return to the vibrant village atmosphere that we all love so much.”
The Yarraville Village Says No To Paid Parking group released a statement in support of the decision.
“We look forward to supporting their further consideration of a sensible and appropriate, long-term parking solution for Yarraville,” the group said.
“We hope this gesture will, in some way, mitigate some of the pain that has been so readily felt by small businesses in Yarraville.”
Trader Trevor Junge said attention would now focus on removing paid parking entirely.
“We have provided council with plenty of information and will continue providing it in the hope that they see reason,” he said.
A University of Melbourne ‘Yarraville Village paid parking study’ remains under way, with 10,300 randomly selected households from Footscray to Williamstown having been invited to take part.
