PARKING woes in central Footscray are escalating following the closure of two large car parks at the former Forges department store.
But Maribyrnong Council says the closure is not its problem because the car parks are privately owned.
The historic department store closed its doors in July after operating in Footscray for 112 years. In addition to losing a retail icon, shoppers have lost 192 free, off-street car parks.
Traders have complained about congestion, particularly at weekends, as frustrated shoppers look for parking spaces in and around Byron Street.
Footscray Traders Association president Grant Miles said the council had done nothing to warn shoppers that the car parks were closed.
He said the council had known about Forges closure for months in advance but had done little about parking.
"It's bedlam, particularly on Friday evening and Saturday morning. People are driving round and round looking for car parks.
"Everyone knew Forges was closing down 12 months ago and nothing was put in place."
There are five large, private off-street car parks in central Footscray, of which Forges, near the corner of French and Paisley streets, is one.
The property and the two car parks are in the hands of an as-yet-unnamed consortium which bought the site.
The car parks were leased back to the council at a nominal fee - believed to be $1 a year - to regulate parking.
"In any case, private or public, surely the council should have some minimum contingency plan to alleviate extra traffic congestion when almost 200 parking spaces disappear instantly from the heart of [Footscray]," Mr Miles said.
Troy Music manager Emma Troy said plans should have been put in place to compensate for lost parking, adding that her business was suffering.
"Customers can no longer park three hours and neither can our staff. They've got to go looking farther afield. Instead of just allowing it to close [the council] should have consulted with them and allowed it to stay open."
Asked about the loss of parking space in central Footscray, council's infrastructure services acting general manager, Jenny McMahon, said in a written statement that the car park was privately owned.
She said the council was investigating a "parking guidance system" to direct people to available car parks. "Parking restrictions in Footscray are regularly monitored and reviewed by council to balance the different needs of visitors."
Traders have called for a proposed multi-deck car park to be considered urgently.
A report released in May on a feasibility study for a multi-deck car park noted the gravel and rooftop car parks at Forges were at or close to full capacity.
The car parks at Little Saigon shopping centre and Byron Street, both paid, do not have enough space to meet demand.
The report concluded that construction of a multi-deck car park in central Footscray would need private funding if it was to go ahead, and that existing car parks could be better used to meet demand.
A multi-deck car park at the preferred Byron Street site would cost at least $15million to build.
The Mail was unable to contact the site’s new owners.
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