Dulwich Hill train station construction angers local businesses

By TILEAH DOBSON

The Dulwich Hill Station upgrade is almost completed, and as the end is in sight, some residents and business owners have said it can’t come soon enough.

The station’s upgrade is part of the Dulwich Hill Station Precinct Public Domain Improvements Project  by the Inner West Council (IWC). The IWC is focusing on the public areas near the station while the NSW Government is converting the station into a metro stop, part of the Bankstown Line.

City Hub reached out to the IWC and spoke with Councillor Justine Langford who confirmed that the “council’s project to upgrade Dulwich Hill Station precinct is due to [be] completed in December this year.”

In a motion brought forth by Councillor Jessica D’Arienzo earlier this month, the impact the project has had on residents and small businesses was acknowledged.

“Local businesses hold grave concerns for the proposal to permanently reduce parking spaces for tree plantings on the road and commenced a petition calling on the Inner West Council to re-evaluate the options available to balance the local economy and urban amenity,” the motion read.

Businesses are not happy

To the Lott Newsagency owner Lin Le, the construction has greatly impacted her business. For her, it’s the lack of available parking and footpath for her customers that causes her issues.

“It’s very bad because now [they’ve] blocked everywhere and I don’t know why they didn’t finish it. At the beginning, the council said [that] they’d make a footpath in two—four weeks. And now it’s been two and a half months and it’s still there and not finished,” Le told City Hub.

“And they’ve blocked everywhere and no parking. My side there [is] only two parking spaces left. Before there [was] many but now only two left. Every time a customer comes, they say ‘oh I can’t come to your shop cause no parking.’”

“Everybody come and say the same thing.”

*Louise from a local charcoal chicken shop in Dulwich Hill echoed similar concerns, stating that “customers have said that they were about to give up parking” and were “about to leave and not come and buy anything.”

“I’m assuming a lot of people have done the same thing because there’s no parking in the area anymore,” Louise told City Hub. And since a lot of the shop’s business is take-away, this is an issue for them.

With the lack of parking available, Louise said that customers have had to park in residents’ driveways and this resulted in more complaints erupting.

And nearby shops have had issues with not just the council, but with the construction workers as well.

“Because of all the work in front of the store, they’ve [the builders] been dumping sand but they haven’t been containing it with sheets or anything so it doesn’t blow. What’s been happening is the sand gets blown in by the wind and gets deposited in the store,” they said.

“So we’re constantly cleaning the windows and the floor and everything from the dust.”

Despite a complaint from one of the other affected stores, nothing has changed.

Lack of parking temporary

Cr Langford sympathises with the business’s impact but stressed that the lack of parking was temporary.

“There is less parking available while construction workers park in the area. Once this project is complete parking spaces will increase as two new parking areas will be opened. Parking impacts are only temporary,” Cr Langford said.

“Council officers have consulted with local [businesses] throughout the project to keep them informed and minimise impacts.”

“We all know that small business has had a tough time with Covid and doesn’t need any more setbacks.”

 City Hub reached out to Cr D’Arienzo for comment but she did not respond in time.

*Lousie’s name has been changed for privacy.