Fair’s fair on trade

I HAVE recently become aware of the possible appeal from the service centre operators and developers at Longwarry and Officer regarding the decision to allow Bruce Clough to provide direct access for his customers to and from the Princes Freeway.
Bruce Clough’s business has been locally owned and run for many years and I urge people to support him in his endeavours.
Cardinia Shire has been negligent by not notifying the operators of their decision to allow Bruce Clough to create direct access, but I cannot understand why the service centres believe they have the right to object.
What has happened to free trade?
Longwarry and Carwoode say they “have a significant interest in the safe and efficient operation of the freeway”.
With regard to “safe” – I am aware of a number of accidents that have occurred at the Sand Road intersection at Longwarry. I am confident everyone would agree that the on/off ramps at Nar Nar Goon would be much safer than the current traffic hazards at Sand Road.
With regard to “efficient” – an on/off ramp at Nar Nar Goon would be a lot less disruptive to traffic than the 80km zone at Sand Road.
Christos Andrianopoulos states regarding the cost and size of the service centres at Officer were “based on the knowledge that no other competing sites were proposed or approved in the vicinity” – Bruce Clough has been there since the 1920s.
I have regularly visited the aforementioned service centres, but that will now cease and I shall be encouraging others to do the same.
Obviously the service centres are concerned that, while it is difficult and more time consuming for customers to leave the freeway, these customers may then choose to purchase their fuel at Longwarry or Officer, but if direct access is given at Nar Nar Goon customers will purchase their fuel at Clough’s – and worried they should be, as fuel is invariably cheaper at Bruce Clough Motors. Hopefully commonsense and fair trade will prevail.
Paula Rupe,