Businesses ‘could shut down’ because of reduced traffic in CBD after Cavenagh St carpark closure
THE closure of almost 400 car parks at Cavenagh St has sparked fears that businesses could close with motorists forced to change their daily commute to and from work
Northern Territory
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THE loss of almost 400 carparks at Cavenagh St has sparked fears that businesses could close, with motorists forced to change their daily commute to and from work.
Darwin City Waterfront Retailers Association vice-president and business owner Darlene Chin feared smaller businesses wouldn’t survive without regular traffic at the start and end of each day.
“It’s going to change pedestrian traffic around the city because everyone who parks there and walks to their office is generally going from that direction towards Parliament House,” she said.
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“It will impact businesses in the vicinity of the current carpark; less people are going to be going past their doors twice each day.”
Ms Chin said she wasn’t sure why the carpark had to be closed, given there had not been a confirmed start date for the new CDU campus earmarked for the site.
“I’m questioning the timing, I can’t imagine anything needs to be done with that piece of dirt yet,” she said. “It would be a shame to see a semi-productive piece of land just lie there dormant for a long period of time. That’s going to create a big hole in the city at a time when we can least afford the inactivity.
“We need a bit more disclosure on the reasoning behind it.”
The new campus will provide 230 new parking spaces in an underground carpark, however it is not known whether these would be open to the public or reserved for CDU staff and students.
Ms Chin said university staff and students using the carpark wouldn’t be walking through the city or past stores to get to class.
Property Council NT executive director Ruth Palmer said Darwin council could investigate building a new carpark to generate income and ensure city traders didn’t miss out on rush-hour pedestrian traffic.
“City of Darwin should look to stimulate the economy construction sector by building a new centrally located carpark to assist in activating our city streetscapes,” she said.
“This would involve transitioning heat-affected on-street car parks into pedestrian and alfresco-friendly areas for all to enjoy.
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“This also assists with the conversion of planned transport corridors into transport priority lanes, buses etc.”
Chamber of Commerce chief executive Greg Ireland said public servants could be encouraged to use public transport to ensure there wasn’t too much pressure put elsewhere across the CBD.
“It’s certainly going to put increased pressure on parking in the city; ultimately that’s not a good thing,” he said.
“It is a big price we have to pay initially that will create some congestion.”
Charles Darwin University is yet to respond to questions about how it will pay for the carpark or why the facility will close.
Originally published as Businesses ‘could shut down’ because of reduced traffic in CBD after Cavenagh St carpark closure