By Rowan Forster
A staple of the Pakenham community could collapse under the pressure of Racecourse Road’s unrelenting gridlock.
The iconic Racecourse Road Milk Bar has experienced a significant decline in trade over recent years – attributed to the hustle and bustle of the adjoining thoroughfare.
Co-owner Peter Jose revealed the future of the business is very much up in the air.
He says motorists are no longer stopping at the corner store – requiring them to turn off onto Cameron Way – because they don’t want to prolong their commuting.
“In the first few years, business was very stable, but recently we have had a real drop,” Mr Jose said.
“The traffic is very, very heavy and that’s the main problem.
“People aren’t stopping by like they used to – it’s not good.”
Mr Jose said parking was also a concern for the business, with Racecourse Road providing no spaces on either side of the street.
“Parking is difficult because they have to turn off this busy road to get a spot,” he added.
On a broad scale, milk bars across the country are desperately clinging for survival amid the threat of multinational convenience stores and supermarket heavyweights.
While the shop has been a cultural institution in Pakenham for decades, Mr Jose and his associate have only owned the milk bar for seven years.
He maintains hope that a sustainable fix to Racecourse Road’s congestion could provide a lifeline for the local business.
It comes during Star News Group’s Unblock the Gridlock campaign, urging both factions of politics to commit to solving Pakenham’s traffic puzzle.
Racecourse Road remains at the forefront of readers’ nominated congestion hotspots, alongside McGregor Road and Clyde Road.
Under the State Opposition’s Get Victoria Moving pledge, the roundabout at the intersection of Racecourse Road and Bald Hill Road in Pakenham would be removed by grade separation.
Bass MP Brian Paynter also maintains a Guy Government will undertake a study to determine the best solution for the road’s notorious level crossing.
To date, the State Government is yet to allocate cash or make a pledge for Racecourse Road – but it is undertaking a duplication of Healesville-Kooweerup Road further south.
Racecourse Road’s congestion is also taking a toll on Melbourne Rotomould, according to co-director Tim Leed.
While business is booming, the delivery of supplies has been severely impacted by constant traffic.
“You don’t know whether it’s going to take you one minute to go 700 metres, or 15 minutes because the roundabout stops functioning and the traffic is queued up down the road,” he said.
“It’s extremely difficult for deliveries.
“If we want to ring up a local supplier like Pakenham Bearings and get them to deliver something, we might not get it because the traffic is not moving.
“Anyone who has been on Bald Hill and Racecourse Road knows it is crazy and unbelievable.”
Mr Paynter also weighed in on the Racecourse Road gridlock, expressing his concerns about the ramifications for Pakenham’s economy.
“Time is money, and when deliveries and supplies are stuck on Racecourse Road, businesses are losing money,” he said.
“If a business is looking to establish in Pakenham and they know about this, they may choose to set up in Dandenong South, for example, instead.
“It’s a massive impediment to businesses and a deterrent on employment.”
