‘Ridiculous’: Businesses are seeing red over Adelaide City Council’s proposals to kill carpark spaces

Adelaide business owners say the city council is ostracising motorists through its proposals to reduce parking on busy streets and turn the road west of Light Square into green space.

Hobo Menswear owner Ivan Deed and Coffylosophy owner Harsha Mehta are opposed to Adelaide City Council’s proposal to reduce car spaces on Hutt St. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Business owners have slammed Adelaide City Council’s “war on cars” amid backlash over its proposal to turn the road west of Light Square into green space.

TGB Lawyers chief executive Claude Galloni said the Light Square proposal was “ridiculous” because it would increase congestion by funnelling cars from the west to the already “jam-packed” eastern street.

His office is on the eastern side, which would become a two-way street under the proposal.

“The council seems to have a drive to eliminate as many cars as possible getting into the city and parking,” Mr Galloni said. “Why would you do that?”

The road west of Light Square. Picture: Brenton Edwards

The road east of Light Square. Picture: Brenton Edwards

“They’re driving people to the suburbs, but they’ve got to remember that businesses in the city contribute to rates, so if you want to drive the cars out, I suspect you drive the businesses out.”

On Tuesday, Adelaide Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith told FIVEaa the western road would not become com1`pletely car-free, saying “there will have to be a bit of a slip road or lane, because… there are residents already on that side of the square”.

In addition to its bold push to transform Light Square, the council is considering concept plans that would reduce parking on Hutt St, Gouger St and Hindley St.

The $12m revitalisation proposal for Hutt St – which councillors in August said needed “more work” before proceeding – would slash car spaces from 131 to 57.

Harsha Mehta, the owner of Hutt St cafe Coffylosophy, said the council was sending a message that “if you own a car, you’re not welcome in the city”.

“Don’t take away the parking,” he said. “Simple question – if it’s not broken, why fix it?”

Hobo Menswear owner Ivan Deed and Coffylosophy owner Harsha Mehta are opposed to Adelaide City Council’s proposal to reduce car spaces on Hutt St. Picture: Kelly Barnes

City of Adelaide councillor Henry Davis said the council was “absolutely” waging a war on cars.

“There is this narrative that if we just stop people being able to get in by cars, then everyone will just turn to public transport and we’ll live in this communist utopia,” he said.

But the council’s deputy mayor, David Elliot, said this was “pretty farcical”.

“When we look at our city streets, they’re still dominated by cars, so after nearly three years of this term of council, what is there to demonstrate there’s actually been a war on cars?

“That’s about as credible as the council waging a war on moon men.

“There is more deliberate effort about tackling our congestion problem. And when we look at what’s causing the congestion, it’s cars.”

The North-South Bikeway on Frome Street has been causing increased congestion along the North Terrace to Rundle Street with limited space for cars to turn and increased travel times. Picture: Keryn Stevens

A bike path recently added by the council to Frome Rd eliminated an entire car lane.

Last year, the council proposed to reduce the speed limit to 30km/h in all city streets, but councillors vetoed the idea in January.

Originally published as ‘Ridiculous’: Businesses are seeing red over Adelaide City Council’s proposals to kill carpark spaces