By Nicole Ferrie MITCHELL Street traders are seeking police guidance to help staff deal with intimidating bus commuters. Bendigo Traders Association president Neil Athorn plans to speak with the community policing division asking officers to meet traders and discuss their concerns. They hope the move will help educate staff members on how to deal with difficult situations. The move follows an increase in shoplifting since the number of people catching buses in Mitchell Street more than doubled when the new bus network came into effect on April 28. All bus stops in the CBD were moved into Mitchell Street at that time. Commuters are also using offensive language and confronting staff at several CBD businesses. Mike Hammond of Toyworld said shoplifting had increased by up to 60 per cent at his store since the change. “The staff are being confronted every day,” he said. “They are not coping too well, they’re not used to people coming in and confronting them. “I need to provide a safe working place for my staff.” Mr Hammond said the traders were not opposed to 1.5 million bus commuters coming into the CBD annually, but a better location for the central bus interchange needed to be found. “We want those people in Bendigo, we apreciate them and there is so much to offer particularly now with the new mall, but they need space the same as shoppers,” he said. “They need to have the proper infrastructure and amenities. “The footpaths are not made to handle the volume of people coming in. “If they put the shelter a block away, it would be fantastic.” Mr Athorn said the traders were simply calling for a tranquil place for commuters to go to access public transport. However, he said in the short term, they were seeking some direction for staff on “how to handle things at the front of shops”. “We are looking at helping the traders were we can with the situation,” he said. “We are looking at different options including training courses with the police along with other people.”
my daughter is 6 when she was in a pram there were a couple of occassions where i could not get on a bus because it was crowded this was during non school hours and obviously before the new system there will be times when this happens people also need to hail the bus when they see it coming that is why it is written on the bus stops to bad the weekly has decided to take a negative approach to covering the new bus system there are plenty of people out there who are happy with it but we only get to see stories from whingers be prepared with wet weather gear when picking kids up for school to keep them from getting to wet on the few occassions that there may be rain
This is a real mess you've left us with Bob and Jacinta. Missing detail has made bus timetables a shambles. It took you years to listen to community about Kangaroo Flat railway station and it's certainly time you liswtened to rest of Bendigo about the buses.
Comment #3
(Posted by Big John)
What do expect when Cat Woman just sits on the fence and only appears for news photo's.
And The Phantom is even worse he only appears now and again.
Vote them out next election, the answer is easy.
Time to go P & C.
