Box Hill Central shopping centre protest over parking price increase
A SUDDEN big hike in parking fees at a Box Hill shopping centre has left traders and customers furious and threatening to take action.
East
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A SUDDEN increase in the price of parking at Box Hill Central has riled up the shopping centre’s traders and customers.
About 200 people protested at the centre on September 17 when the new rates came into effect, forcing customers to pay $1 an hour to park at the centre, with any minute over the hour rounded up.
Fees were previously $1 for three hours.
Anyone who parks for a minute over the hour will have to pay an extra $1.
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From four hours onwards, the rate spikes every hour, with seven hours costing $42.
Asian Business Association of Whitehorse president Tom Zheng, who runs three shops at Box Hill Central, said the “evil increase” was causing a lot of stress and frustration for shop tenants.
The association organised the protest, where it presented a petition to centre management, after failing to negotiate the rate change with management at a meeting days earlier.
Mr Zheng said customers had told shop owners they would stop using the shopping centre when the rates came into effect.
Box Hill resident John Goldsmith told Whitehorse Leader, the more than 100 per cent increase in the cost of parking was “an absolute gouge”.
While resident Bill Wilkinson said it was another reason not to go to Box Hill.
“Pity the shopkeepers,” Mr Wilkinson said.
“As if they haven’t got enough problems with that centre.”
The petition has proposed alternative payment options to benefit customers parking for just a couple of hours.
Whitehorse councillor Tina Liu said traders had contacted her fearing the price would have a “detrimental” impact on business.
Cr Liu said she would continue advocating for traders with centre management, hoping management would work towards “a reasonable and fair outcome”.
Box Hill Central centre manager Ben Watson said the increase was to ease congestion and enable access to the most convenient and secure parking.
He said management had been told the carpark was increasingly becoming congested by train commuters and those accessing Box Hill for other purposes.
Whitehorse Residents and Ratepayers Association president Tanya Tescher said it wasn’t fair for shoppers to be charged more, when other drivers were causing the issue.
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“Instead something should be done to weed out those who are abusing the shopping centre car park for long-term parking,” she said.
Mr Watson said the centre was committed to offering competitive, low rates every day and (continued) to offer some of the cheapest off-street parking anywhere in the growing Box Hill region.
Two years ago workers at Box Hill Central held a protest when management raised the price of daily staff parking from $1 to $4.
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