ASHTON Avenue traders say business has been hit by council and utility road works on top of Main Road’s replacement of their road’s bridge across the railway line in Claremont.
“We haven’t been getting enough for the rent, and trade is down about 70 per cent,” Graylands Deli operator Thi Nhon-Nguien said.
The traders claim customers are avoiding their small strip because of Claremont council road works on nearby First and Second avenues, utilities in Graylands Road and City of Nedlands work on nearby Brockway Road, and they are angry about an alleged lack of communication that could have spread the timing of the projects.
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READ NOW“They shut down Second Avenue without warning, then the one next to the RAS, and Brockway, without telling us,” cafe operator Tony Mladenobski said.
Perth Osteopathic Medicine owner Denis Winter said his patients complained about getting to the strip already heavily affected by Main Roads’ rebuild of the Ashton Road Bridge due to last at least until September 1.
Baron Liquors operator Bernard Hubbard has reduced roster hours and laid off one staff member, and he said while the new bridge was needed, it was not understood why the councils’ works had to occurred at the same time .
A Claremont council spokeswoman said notifications of Graylands Road’s upgrade were sent, and planning had been conducted for “some time” for First and Second avenue that could not be delayed because of the bridge’s replacement, Nedlands’ Brockway Road work and ATCO Gas’ digging.
She said Graylands Road, including a new path, may finish next week, there were no more works planned for the immediate area, but the Town’s other underground power work in May planned for a decade could not be delayed by the new bridge.
Nedlands Mayor Max Hipkins said it was “fair” to question co-ordination of all the works and communication was usually conducted for projects on the councils’ borders, but he would meet with his staff about temporary easing of the traders’ problems.
The City advertised its Brockway Road works, finishing on April 27, on multiple outlets for two weeks last month, and they were done during school holidays to minimise disruption.
Asked about compensation, a Main Roads spokeswoman said new bridge work was “on track” for September, and the process for “aggrieved” business to pursue loss of profit was a public liability claim.
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