Croydon Pet Hospital, Rocco’s Burger Cafe among angry traders following $8 million Croydon North intersection upgrade
Traders are desperate for shoppers to return to Croydon North after an $8 million intersection upgrade went over schedule and cost them thousands of dollars each week.
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The owner of a Maroondah vet clinic claims an $8 million road project has cost him $250,000 in lost revenue.
Croydon Pet Hospital owner Peter Verhoef said he couldn’t open the clinic for at least 15 days during the Maroondah Highway, Dorset Rd, Bellara Drive and Exeter Rd intersection upgrade.
The Federal Government-funded project began in August 2018 and works were completed in late August this year, two months behind schedule.
Mr Verhoef had a temporary driveway installed by workers in late 2018 to help with his Christmas trade but the new driveway and footpath were only completed this August.
“There were at least 15 to 18 days when we couldn’t run the practice at all,” Mr Verhoef said.
He said cars were unable to enter his carpark for four days in November last year due to construction of an extra turning lane on Dorset Rd.
“There was no long-term warning, it was just a matter of this is what we’re doing’,” Mr Verhoef said.
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Traders are now pleading for customers to return to the Croydon North shops.
Roccos Burger Cafe manager Tahlia Tropeano said she lost thousands of dollars in sales each week during the roadworks.
She said there were occasions where managers could not pay themselves and she had to cut staff members’ hours.
“It definitely hindered our sales, no one could stop, no one could park, no one wanted to wait for the traffic to get through,’’ she said.
“The workers told me they had to do the Dorset Rd section three times because they stuffed it up twice.
“Everyone has been suffering … it (the intersection) doesn’t really feel that different.”
Deakin federal Liberal MP Michael Sukkar said VicRoads managed the project and he expected them to have continued to engage with traders.
Department Of Transport spokeswoman Lauren Hilbert said VicRoads hosted an information session before works started and regularly emailed updates to traders during construction.
Ms Hilbert did not say if traders would be offered compensation.