AN Altona trader says businesses are being strangled to death by two major residential construction projects in Pier Street.
Sweeney’s swim school owner Ray Patton says the construction of two huge apartment blocks on opposite sides of the street are a traffic menace, leaving customers with nowhere to park.
“On a daily basis, trucks, cement mixers and contractors are coming and going, making traffic congested and dangerous for clients of businesses in this area,” he said. “One wonders why two major constructions were allowed to happen at the same time.”
Construction is under way on a 95-dwelling, five-storey apartment block and retail complex at 105-113 Pier Street.
Directly opposite, at number 112-114, a shop and 40 dwellings on three levels are being built. Parking requirements have been reduced at both sites.
Mr Patton said Hobsons Bay Council was failing to enforce two-hour parking restrictions.
“Workers from the construction sites have been parking in Pier Street from 8am-4pm each day for the past five months,” he said.
“[The council] has stated that the signage is inadequate and no fines will be issued until the signage is improved.
“Businesses in Pier Street north are being strangled to death because of the lack of car parking spaces available to existing and prospective customers.”
Hobsons Bay planning and environment director Peter Gaschk said the council had no power to halt or suspend construction on either of the sites.
“The two-hour parking restriction signs were updated on June 15 and the time restrictions in Pier Street between Civic Parade and the railway line will be enforced from today,” he said in response to the Weekly’s request for comment.
Mr Gaschk said the public could also park outside the council offices at the end of Pier Street.
■A gas leak during excavation, believed to have happened when construction workers hit a main on the west side of Pier Street, shut down the northern side of the street from noon to 1.30pm yesterday.
