Roseville businesses are ignoring footpath trading policy

Ku-ring-gai Council and Roseville business owners are set to come to blows over the new "Outdoor Dining and Footpath Trading Policy" which council initiated last September.

The main disagreement arises in a clause that specifies that outdoor displays and tables must be situated 1.8 metres from the shop front.

Michael Fox, owner of Roseville Florist, believes the new policy is over zealous in smaller villages like Roseville.

"I can count the amount of people who walk past here per day. We don't have the flow of people like in Chatswood where you're trying to dodge people to go past. All we have is six or seven buckets out the front." Fox explained, "I definitely think it's an overkill."

Cr Maureen Shelley, who looks after the Roseville ward has outlined that the purpose of the clause is to ensure that less mobile citizens are ensured a safe path to walk on free from obstacles.

"That's just stupid as far as I'm concerned." Says Fox of the requirements to place merchandise away from the shop front. "With the sun and heat and everything my flowers wouldn't last five minutes in summer if they had to be away from the shop."

An access consultant from the Independent Living Centre NSW explained that the practice of leaving a gap between shop fronts and seating is primarily in aid of vision impaired people who 'shoreline' with their cane against the shop walls, but stressed that there are other alternatives and "it is only recommended in an area where the streetscape suits the requirements."

On a relatively narrow road such as those in Roseville, the requirement of 1.8 metres gap between shop fronts and seating could pose larger dangers with seating near busy roads.

While Ku-ring-gai council is one of the first Sydney councils to introduce universal regulations for shops in regards to access, other councils are taking similar steps.

In November 2004, Marrickville Council distributed handbooks to all shop owners in the area outlining how to make their shops more accessible.

"There was a really positive response to our suggestions." Glenn Redman from Marrickville Council said. "When people realised that most of the changes were cost neutral and were making their business more accessible to 20% of the population, the store owners were all for it."

Following on from the success of the campaign, Marrickville Council have begun a 12 month trial of a policy similar to Ku-ring-gai Council's which sees street signage and trading restricted in parts of Marrickville suburb.

While Roseville Florist have chosen not to apply for outdoor trading, other businesses are also ignoring the safety specifications the council have given them by having outdoor trading directly adjacent to the shop front.

Cr Shelley explained, "we're trying to educate businesses first and encourage them to comply [with the policy] rather than coming in heavy handed."

Speaking on the education efforts of Marrickville Council, Redman explained "there were certain areas like Enmore and Newtown that weren't so much focused on their specific area, but could envisage a broader view of their customers. As such they looked at the exercise as a smart business decision, not just attempting to accommodate less able citizens."