Fairfield traders suffer under Railway Place construction

BUSINESSES are closing their doors during the week in Melbourne’s north, unable to cope as customers are driven away by overwhelming construction.

TRADERS on Railway Place have had to shut their doors midweek, saying the “ghetto” created by ongoing construction is driving customers from their businesses.

The narrow Fairfield street has one lane and one footpath permanently closed while other work has forced pedestrians down the middle of the street or closed the road completely.

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The Tea Rose owner Chelsea Drennan said she turned over $98 in a week and was going to drive for Uber, as well as work a second night-time job, to make ends meet.

“The first year of business is already very tough. We’ve had Nightingale (apartments) go up, trains stop and now we’ve got all of the road shut off to put sewerage into the building,” she said.

Both Railway Place footpaths are regularly closed due to apartment construction and NBN installation.

Ms Drennan asked for customers not to be put off by construction but show their support for the independent shopping strip.

Fifteen Pounds owner John Kana said he was trying to keep his business above water in a situation he described as “a war zone.”

Mr Kana said his business couldn’t afford to employ the same amount of staff members and they were being forced to move on or find second jobs.

Nightingale developers have closed a lane of traffic for site offices and vehicle access. Spokeswoman Kate Ryan said the developers had worked to minimise disruption to traders, including encouraging subcontractors not to take up public parking spaces.

A pedestrian is forced onto the road by construction, ignoring safety signs on Fairfield Place. P

But Mr Kana said his customers told him they had driven for more than 10 minutes to find parking.

Ms Ryan said contractors were meeting with Darebin Council to finish the sewer work as quickly as possible.

Traders were given a flyer on July 30 saying the project would be extended by three weeks due to “ground conditions.”

Fifteen Pounds owner John Kana said his business has dropped by at least 30 per cent. Picture: Rob Leeson

Grocon project manager Geoff Vass said most of the work at their $40 million development had been completed but their major structures couldn’t have been built with the current lack of access on the road.

“If it was part of our development we would try and work with them to get better access for people, especially to the (train) station,” he said.

Council general manager Rachel Ollivier said officers attended the site daily to minimise disruption.

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