Jeff Rouse with the petition that helped to sway council in favour of allowing mobile traders to continue operating beside Victoria Square.
After a nervous few months of uncertainty, mobile traders who park up by Victoria Square can finally breathe a sigh of relief, with a decision made on their future.
Waipā District Council’s new Public Places Bylaw will came into effect on Monday, tightening up where and when mobile traders are allowed to operate in the district but not going with an initial proposal to ban them from parking beside Victoria Square.
After consultation with the community and a petition that attracted hundreds of signatures over a few days, a limited number of traders will be allowed to continue parking in the popular spot during specific times.
This has come as a relief to Jeff Rouse, owner of the Fish Van, who said it was good to see that common sense had prevailed.
“It was a stressful time, faced with not being able to trade there,” Jeff said, adding that losing the van’s well-established spot of eight years would have massively devalued his business.
Extending thanks to customers and the community for their support, Jeff also praised Cambridge Community Board member Roger Gordon, who provided a submission to council in favour of letting the traders remain in the spot, describing him as “instrumental” in achieving the outcome. The proposed changes to the bylaw attracted 86 submissions along with four petitions in support of mobile traders, containing 988 signatures.
The Bylaw includes a new clause that prohibits traders from selling age-restricted products such as alcohol and tobacco, parking on berms or footpaths (unless expressly allowed by the permit) or blocking access to private property.
