Alistair Coe MLA, the Shadow Minister for Urban Services and Liberal Member for Ginninderra, said that the Stanhope-Gallagher Government’s ill-conceived plans for the upgrade of the Nicholls Shops car park were unanimously rejected at a public meeting in Nicholls last night.

The meeting was attended by more than 40 residents and traders concerned about the sham consultation and bad plans for the upgrade of the car park.

Prior to this meeting, the Government had failed to consult the community on this matter.  In fact, the Chief Minister admitted on 666 radio on 20 March 2009 that the consultation involved: “perhaps a not overly extensive letterbox drop.”

“Many residents at the meeting had only heard about the meeting through my letterboxing of more than 2,000 Nicholls homes. Roads ACT admitted that they had only letterboxed about 80 households.”

“If I can letterbox that many homes, why can’t the Government?”

No one in the meeting supported the Government’s proposal to make the car park one way, to divert traffic through Paisley Street and to create angled parking.

“New plans must meet the following conditions:
• the car park is widened;
• traffic through the round-about continues to be for entry and exit;
• more parking bays are provided; and,
• additional traffic is not diverted through Paisley Street,” Mr Coe said.

Now that the Government has finally heard what the residents and traders of Nicholls want, the Government must deliver an improved and expanded car park.