Lengthy wait to leave Eastland carpark driving shoppers and staff mad

STAFF and customers at a shopping centre in Melbourne’s east are angry at having to wait up to 45 minutes to get out of the carpark when stores shut on weekends.

Staff and shoppers are complaining of lengthy delays to leave the Eastland carpark at the end of the day. Picture: Steve Tanner

SHOPPERS and staff at Eastland are furious at having to wait 45 minutes to exit the centre when shops shut on the weekend — and fear it will get worse when paid parking is activated.

Traffic signals on a short time mean only a few cars can exit the centre at once, resulting in “chaos” for those trying to get out on busy Saturdays.

Paid parking will be introduced on June 14, with the new ticketless technology keeping track of the time shoppers spend at the centre by capturing their car’s registration plates at entries and exits.

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A Wantirna man, who wants to remain anonymous, said staff forced to park on level 4 had long waits when the centre shut at 5pm to get to the ground level to leave.

He said it was chaos, with cars banked up from the ground level up to level 3.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Have you been stuck in the Eastland carpark? Tell us below

It is believed at least 40 staff members and customers complained on the Eastland Facebook page last weekend, but most comments have since been deleted.

The system is similar to Doncaster’s technology, which created bedlam in November last year as the centre geared up for the Christmas rush.

The Wantirna man fears Eastland is going down the same track.

“While we love the new shops we’re all concerned about the parking situation,” he said.

“It’s not even Christmas time.”

Another worker, Deanne, said she was frustrated on Saturday after working all day and then taking 30 minutes to travel just a few hundred metres to leave the carpark.

Christine Devonshire said the traffic was appalling on wet days and the new car park indication system was not working.

Paid parking is about to be turned on at Eastland, but it hasn’t been without some issues. Picture: Steve Tanner

“I fear that soon there will be a horrible accident which will turn into carpark rage. If you want us to pay, you must fix these problems,” Ms Devonshire said.

Eastland said that when ticketless parking was fully operational Eastland’s car park would be more efficient.

General manager Steve Edgerton acknowledged the “significant changes” and said the centre had spoken to several people about the parking system.

Acting VicRoads transport and planning director Savoula Lidis said the traffic lights did give priority to the majority of through-traffic on Ringwood St and Warrandyte Rd but would be closely monitored over the coming fortnight.