The installation of no standing signs along Hopetoun Road last week has residents frustrated at being unable to park outside their properties.
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The stretch of road between McPherson Crescent and the Hopetoun Road Milk Bar, has a mix of houses and two unit complexes of almost 50 units with limited visitor parking spots.
Warrnambool City Council installed the new no standing signs on the eastern side of the road last week and said the move was to improve safety at the site. A pedestrian refuge was also installed outside Mercy Place. The western side of Hopetoun Road was already zoned a no standing area.
Resident Yvonne Cashill said her daughter and grandchildren didn’t visit on the weekend because of a lack of parking. She said she would be unable to host Christmas Day festivities this year because there was nowhere to park.
“We’re frustrated that we can’t have our visitors park anywhere near the house now,” Ms Cashill said. “All we were told was there was going to be roadworks done. That was it,” she said.
Resident of 12 years Joan Grace shares a driveway with her neighbour and said she had to park out the front of her home. She wants the signs removed.
“My family are so angry because they visit all the time and they’ve got nowhere to park,” Ms Grace said. “You can’t expect them to park halfway up Hopetoun Road.”
Ms Grace said she was horrified to receive an infringement warning last week after parking on the nature strip outside her unit.
Ms Grace said the units housed a number of pensioners who had district nurses visit and chemists delivering medication to elderly residents. Resident Terry Codling said taxi drivers would no longer pull up on the road because of the changed conditions.
“The council haven’t thought about this one iota,” resident Fiona Eccles said.
A council spokesman said the works were initiated following community concerns about the need for a safe crossing point for pedestrians. The council sent letters to residents in April advising them of the changes.
“The no standing signs were installed as part of project to create safer conditions for pedestrians and motorists,” the spokesman said. “It has resulted in a safer traffic lane width for vehicles travelling along a section of road where there is a crest.”