Ballarat traders are calling on VicRoads to reconsider its planned redevelopment of Mair Street, arguing the reduction of car parking will hurt business.
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In April Roads Minister Luke Donnellan pledged $7 million to reshape the major road, adding two extra lanes while introducing a median strip to separate traffic.
A group of 41 businesses from along the street including Fernwood, The Sporting Globe, JB Hi-Fi and Stems Flower Market have created a petition calling on VicRoads to reconsider the parking impacts of the proposal and create a regular consultation group with the affected businesses.
Mair Street property owner Peter Keppel predicts the proposed changes could remove as many as 179 car parks from along the road, leaving just over 100 parks along the 1.8-kilometre stretch.
“In the last 10 years most of the businesses along Mair Street have moved here to take advantage of the good parking,” Mr Keppel said.
“The new parking they’re talking about putting in is all parallel parking which can be very difficult to get in and out of on a busy road.”
Other businesses including the Freight Bar on the corner of Mair and Peel streets and the Pyro Tribal and Rustic Art tattoo parlour pledged their support for the traffic changes earlier this year.
Prior to April’s announcement VicRoads created a citizens advisory group with 34 members including some business presence to help determine what works would be undertaken.
In addition to the removal of angled parking, the Dawson St to Victoria St redevelopment will see the removal of parking in between the existing two lanes.
The existing roundabout at Grenville Street is expected to be altered to traffic lights, while bicycle lanes will be installed along the length of the street.
On Thursday VicRoads will open a pop-up information stall on Lydiard Street where members of the public will be able to view the concept designs and provide feedback.
The peak roads body also conducted a meeting with the concerned business owners earlier this week.
VicRoads Western Victorian regional director Ewen Nevett said while the concept had not been finalised, the bulk of the angled parking would need to be removed if Mair Street was to be expanded to four lanes.
“There’s flexibility to modify the design as long as we still keep true to what we're trying to achieve which is to improve traffic flow and pedestrian access,” Mr Nevett said.
“If we want to keep two lanes in each direction and have a median strip with trees it’s difficult to get all of the elements in (with existing parking).”
