Community & Business
15 June, 2021
Business left in the dark with loss of parking
SOME Mareeba businesses have been ill-informed prior to the recent crossing installations in Byrnes Street with some claiming they were informed of the works too late.
SOME Mareeba businesses have been ill-informed prior to the recent crossing installations in Byrnes Street with some claiming they were informed of the works too late.
The talk of the town lately has been the current volatile situation with new wombat crossings installed in the main street of Mareeba.
Construction started at the end of April and carried on through May, new wombat crossings were installed and an existing zebra crossing replaced with a wombat crossing.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) stated that they informed business owners of the changes and works happening outside their businesses via letters.
When The Express approached businesses close to the roadworks some confirmed that they received a letter, however others said they received theirs a week prior or the day the works actually started.
President of the Mareeba Chamber of Commerce Joe Moro said that the chamber has never been in support of wombat crossings in Byrnes Street.
“Going back a number of years the chamber has never been in favour of wombat crossings, we believe that it disrupts the truck movement going through the town,” he said.
“We supported nothing else but the traffic lights being installed at the post office centre crossing.”
The chamber was also concerned with the lack of consultation that TMR had with relevant business owners affected by the works.
“The area that the chamber was extremely concerned about was the lack of consultation, we were never made aware of the loss of parking and the extent of where the parking would be lost.
“We have written to them raising the issue that there was a lack of consultation and apparently letters were sent out and not all businesses received those letters.
“The period to consult back to TMR, the fact that it was not done effectively, it was not clearly identified what was going to happen, it’s been a very poor performance in consultation with the businesses.”
TMR was asked specific questions by The Express in relation to these issues including the lack of consultation with businesses and the wider public and the installation of wombat crossings when they were never requested.
Below is a list of the specific questions that TMR declined to answer.
Which businesses along Byrnes Street did TMR contact and why were some businesses left out, including some who were only two or three storefronts down from the works but use the parking spaces?
Why was the wider public not informed of the removal of parking spaces even though they are the ones who use said parking spaces?
Why did TMR decide to install new wombat crossings when the initial call was for a signal to be installed at the Post Office Centre Crossing?
