New timed parking could affect accessibility for Merri Health patients and staff
Elderly and disabled people in Brunswick, Coburg and Glenroy will be hit hard by tough new parking restrictions says Merri Health, with the region’s second-biggest employer fearing they will also lose workers.
North West
Don't miss out on the headlines from North West. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Aged and disability care services will be hit hard by a new parking strategy unless Moreland Council makes concessions for Merri Health, according to the health service provider.
Areas of Brunswick, Coburg and Glenroy will have two-hour on-street parking restrictions installed under the Moreland Integrated Transport Strategy, areas that include Merri Health facilities.
MORE NORTHERN NEWS
CREDITS ROLL ON BRUNSWICK CINEMA PLAN
BOLLARD CLAIMS THREE CYCLISTS IN 30 MINUTES
Merri Health chairman Carlo Carli said the changes would reduce the use of buses and parking for both workers and patients.
“Aged and disabled would be the most severely affected, but also our workforce,” he said.
“We’re the second biggest employer in Moreland … we’ve got a really big fear we are going to lose people if they can’t park anywhere near the sites.”
Merri Health chief executive Nigel Fidgedon said the crackdown would “also have an impact on our workforce, especially for those that live beyond Moreland who will need to reconsider how they get to their worksite.”
Mr Carli wrote to the council to sever a memorandum of understanding between the parties to grow the health provider after he said Merri Health was left out in the cold during consultation for the MITS.
“(The council) said they sent us an invitation but we never got it,” he said.
“What we’re looking for is major concessions, of all the correspondence we’ve had there is no indication they will make any concessions.”
But acting city futures director Phillip Priest said the council was open to considering Merri Health’s needs and wasn’t notified about the parking problems in Merri Health’s submission to the MITS.
“Council has communicated to Merri Health its willingness to work through the recently identified issues which were not raised during the consultation period.”
Mr Fidgedon and Moreland chief executive Nerina Di Lorenzo are set to meet on the issue by the end of the month.