Business affected by Coleraine Drive sinkhole
RIVERCLUB - Business owners have raised their concerns about the length of time Coleraine Drive in Riverclub will be closed off.
This after a portion of Coleraine Drive collapsed and the road had to be closed for repairs. The Johannesburg Roads Agency announced at a press conference in March that the road would take four to six months to repair.
Laura Faustino, service station manager of Ferruccio Auto in Parkmore said, “We cannot wait that long. Our business is suffering. For us, four to six months is a long time. We are not making the money we usually make and this is going to affect our staff in the long run.”
However, Faustino said none of her staff had lost their jobs. “Deliveries take longer to get to us. We are losing our customers who come from Bryanston, Morningside as well as Riverclub,” she added.
Faustino said their petrol sales had decreased by 45 percent due to the road closure. “The store sales have had a negative effect and there has been a decrease of 26 percent on our average sales,” added Faustino.
She said her family had been running the service station since 1984 on the corner of Olympia Avenue and 11th Street in Parkmore. “Before the road closure, the business was doing so well that the service station was renovated and upgraded in November 2013 to incorporate a brand new food store,” said Faustino.
“Fewer customers are coming to the shop and it is costing us more to keep it running. It would be interesting to know how this road closure has affected other businesses and residents in the area as well.”
Bertha Peters-Scheepers, spokesperson for the roads agency apologised for the inconvenience caused by the collapse of the Coleraine Drive bridge. She said, “We will communicate progress on the bridge’s construction to ensure all affected parties are kept abreast of developments. The agency will also be consulting with the Metro police to assess the most suitable alternative routes with minimal impact to all stakeholders with regards to the Coleraine Drive closure. We will communicate findings of this study in due course.”
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