Businesses and a mosque on Patrona Street Dandenong say they are fed up with the parking issues, citing abandoned cars as one of its major concerns.
A petition is being considered by the businesses and Taha Humanity Association of Victoria for a two-hour parking zone to deter other traders such as car rental, mechanics and panel beater businesses from using the street as storage.
Asghar, a stonemason next to the Taha centre, has been operating for five years. He is frustrated by cars without number plates that are blocking roads and “massive trucks” parked in front of his driveway.
“I don’t have space for my staff to park there.
“If you come 6am you can find a spot. After that it’s hard and even sometimes you can’t because they park overnight.”
Asghar says the mechanic wants to move out of the area within just one year of moving in due to the road being so narrow.
“He says can you find a bigger place like this in Dandenong South and I’ll move.
“Before this, there was a factory. We never had any issues with him, he was there for 40 years.”
Questions were raised at a Greater Dandenong council meeting on Monday 24 November for the council to consider two-hour parking on the street.
Council’s city futures executive director, Sanjay Manivasagasivam, said council officers are aware of the business concerns relating to unregistered and abandoned vehicles.
“They should be reported to council for enforcement as restrictions do not typically assist in these cases.
“Council officers are happy to discuss restrictions with business in this area.
“Any restrictions would only be installed after consultation for all affected businesses and if a clear majority of business are in support of the change.”
Jack, who owns a storage facility of trailers, has been operating for 15 years.
“The hire company, they leave their cars and trucks all day.
“I don’t bother (to talk to the businesses) – it ends up in a fight or argument.
“They can do whatever they want.”
He delivers trailers, sometimes arriving back to his storage late at night and finding his driveway blocked.
He says programs held at the nearby Taha Humanity Association of Victoria also adds to the strain.
Asghar disagrees, saying Taha’s Friday prayers go for at least an hour and other programs during Ramadan and Muharram are held after business hours.
Taha’s member, Sayed Agha says the industrial area has suffered these issues even while the centre is not operational.
“We have few mechanics that dump their car in our property – we are sick of it.
“If there weren’t those cars parked there, we wouldn’t have any issues.
“A lot of the time, even when we’re not there, they (businesses) don’t know where to park their own cars.”
Taha Humanity Association of Victoria recently gained a permit amendment which allows a maximum of 130 people during normal operations, up from 75 patrons.
It may also host up to 400 patrons for special events, with a proposed parking reduction of 81 spots.
This sparked a debate at the council meeting over the parking issues.
Sayed says Taha has 50 parking spaces on its land and plans to utilise its neighbour Rasul Akram’s parking during Jumah prayers and other programs.
Up to 20 traffic management volunteers try to ensure minimal disruptions to their neighbours, he says.
