MITCHELL Street traders have declared war on the State Government over plans to create a central hub for bus commuters outside their shopfronts. They are outraged the decision was made without consultation and have vowed to fight the move as high and hard as they can. The traders were only alerted to the plan when two 10 minute car parks were removed from Mitchell Street without their knowledge during the Easter break. The Weekly last week reported the traders’ fears that bigger changes to Mitchell Street were imminent. The same day, the traders received a document revealing major changes to the bus network, which set the tone for a meeting with the City of Greater Bendigo and Department of Infrastructure on Tuesday. Keith Sutherland of Tweed Sutherland First National said the move would cause “an almighty blue”. He urged the state government to go back to the drawing board. “We will go to Jacinta, we will run a big campaign ... we will get everybody up in arms over this,” he told the meeting. “I would suggest 99 per cent of the population don’t want them in Mitchell Street or Hargreaves Street. “No city houses the buses right in the centre of town. “They are spoiling this beautiful city.” Mr Sutherland believes alternate sites, possibly along Williamson Street, should be considered. His thoughts were echoed by fellow angry traders. “Mitchell Street traders will fight as hard as they have to,” Country Cakes owner Doug Clarkson said. “But I think we’re going to have our work cut out. “Once it’s in place, it’s going to be a lot harder.” Central business district councillor Wayne Gregson has given a notice of motion for next week’s council meeting, calling for the move to be scrapped and the planning process to start again.
The bus has bolted from under make-believe white-knight Cr Wayne Gregson. His double-dealing calls for the scrapping of the Department of Infrastructure's plans to create a central hub for bus commuters outside Mitchell shop-fronts as the signs go up. Strange behaviour given Council has been involved with the Department on the project for near two years. No wonder the Mitchell Street traders are disillusioned. Perhaps Wayne is now reading the diesel fumes correctly only because there a council election in November.
Even Steven
