Concerns truck drivers may boycott Griffith have shocked the city’s motel industry after a number were targeted with out of the blue parking violations.
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Uproar over the issue came after a number of drivers received unprecedented fines for parking their trucks outside the motels on Jondaryan Avenue on Monday.
Alan Scott from the Acacia Motel was said he was outraged after two drivers staying at his motel were fined not once, but twice, for parking on the street.
The fines came after a local resident left drivers a note informing them they weren’t allowed to park there and had been reported to Griffith City Council.
RMS regulations state heavy or long vehicles must not stop in a built up area for more than one hour, but in the 10 years since Carolyn Snow and her family have been at the Citrus Motel it has never been a problem.
“This has just never been an issue before,” she said on Tuesday, bewildered by the abrupt change of attitude that has the potential to devastate the industry.
The fines are of major concern to both Mrs Snow and Mr Scott, who estimated truck drivers passing through town accounted for 40 per cent of their business.
“This is really going to impact on our business, because there is nowhere else for them to park,” Mrs Snow said.
“Just last week we are reading how there is a tourism boost in the city and how council wants to hurry up processes and make it easier to help people in the tourism industry, then we have this.”
Back down the road at the Acacia Hotel Mr Scott remained frustrated with the abrupt and “over-zealous” approach taken by rangers, saying it would not only have negative impacts for motel owners.
“It is not just us, truckies who stay here go over the road for dinner locally and they spend money in local businesses,” Mr Scott said.
As representatives of Griffith’s motel industry Mrs Snow and Mr Scott said the lack of warning or discussion surrounding the issue before harsh punishments were dealt out was concerning.
“Why would anyone want to impact on someone’s business without coming over and speaking to them first,” Mrs Scott said.
“When I first heard of this I thought it must be a bit of a joke.”
Griffith City Council is aware of the issue and has scheduled a meeting to discuss what has happened for Wednesday.
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