By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
A suburban strip shopping uproar over the prospect of parking meters is proof central Geelong suffers from a lack of free parks, city traders say.
Bill Votsaris, who has significant investments in the central business district, said fellow business owners and traders agreed that parking meters must be removed from the city centre.
“The debate over parking meters recently has created a public awareness, which has been useful in identifying the real issues,” Mr Votsaris said.
“It’s been clear and powerful from commentary from traders in the surrounding areas that if council introduced parking in the shopping strips, it would kill their businesses.
“You can’t ask for more proof than that – it’s what the CBD has been suffering for years.
“This isn’t some consultant putting it up on a theoretical basis, this is business owners telling us it would have a significant impact.”
Mr Votsaris said he was prepared to speak up on behalf of other city businesses to “rebalance” the debate.
“It’s about time the council started working for the ratepayers. The ratepayers who own businesses understand that parking meters have had a negative impact in the CBD – that’s why surrounding shopping strips have risen and the CBD hasn’t.”
Mr Votsaris said the meters should be removed altogether.
“The council needs to balance its budget in other ways. They can’t use the meters … because they have such a negative impact on employment.”
City Hall earns more than $8 million from parking meters.
Mr Votsaris said extra rates income from planned improvements to the city centre would replace lost revenue from removing the meters within two years.
“It would be a shot in the arm for businesses and employment in the city centre.”
Mayor Darryn Lyons pushed at council’s last meeting for a report on the potential to expand central Geelong’s free weekend parking.
He proposed a review including a full cost/benefit analysis associated with expanding the free-parking program.
