PDF: March 2015_Epping retailer UPDATE

March 2015

Epping retailer update

Message from the Minister

I am pleased to announce that the new state-of-the-art fruit, vegetable and flower market in Epping is expected to open on 3 August 2015.

The new market gives Victoria’s fresh produce and cut flower industries the opportunity to grow and to cement their position as a leader in Australia.

Work to relocate stalls and other market operations will commence in late June, and the Government will work closely with market tenants to monitor progress and provide ongoing assistance required to meet the target date.

Over the coming months, all market participants will have many opportunities to visit the new Epping market and familiarise themselves with all the necessary landmarks so that they are prepared on day one of the market opening.

This is an exciting time for all market participants and we look forward to working with you.

The Hon. Jaala Pulford,
Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development.

Site visits

During February around 450 fruit and vegetable retailers visited the new Market at Epping, as part of six site visits.

For most retailers this was the first time they had been to the new Market at Epping, and feedback was very positive. Retailers had a lot of questions on parking, and there was constructive discussion about a range of topics.

The information from retailer parking Expression of Interest (EOI) is currently being analysed, and many of the retailers’ questions will be answered once the parking is finalised.

Following the parking allocation, line marking on the trading floor should be completed in April, with site visits in May. These site visits will give you the chance to get a better idea of your parking in relation to the market and how the logistics will work.

Access to the new Market

Everyone will need a new access card for the new Market at Epping. To get your access card you will need to do an online induction – similar to the one you did for the West Melbourne Market, and have a new photo taken. We’ll let you know when the induction is available – please keep an eye out in the weekly email This Week in the Market for updates.

You will need to get your new card from the new Market at Epping – you’ll be able to pick your card up at a future site visit. 2015 access cards for the new Market will cost $28.20 (inc. GST). If you have a Gold Card, you will not be charged for your access card. Cards will be activated closer to the opening date.

Parking update

The parking Expression of Interest (EOI) has now closed. If you submitted an EOI you will be sent a letter with information about your allocation. If you are not happy with the outcome of the EOI or you missed making an application, you can put your name down on a waiting list with the MMA.

Parking information

Following feedback from the site visits we have been reviewing the parking arrangements to best meet your needs. Below is some information to help you understand the parking at the new Market at Epping.

Parking and loading zones explained

• Produce is only to be delivered to the loading zone, regardless of how much of the parking bay your vehicle uses. This will ensure the parking bays are not blocked by produce.
• Produce can be delivered before your vehicle arrives at the Market, but remember that store and stand holders have access to the parking bays before 3am.
• Once your vehicle is inside the parking bay, you can use excess space within the parking bay for setting down produce while loading your vehicle.
• The design principles are based on the separation of vehicles types for everyone’s safety. Parking bays with loading zones are for commercial vehicles and trucks only. No passenger vehicles are permitted in these areas.
• Most rigid truck bays are at 90 degrees, semi truck bays are at 45 degrees.
• Every vehicle needs a parking permit to enter the Market. There is one parking permit per parking bay. This system is being implemented at West Melbourne for unreserved vehicle parking from 1 April 2015.
• Parking permits are transferrable from one vehicle to another to accommodate your needs. For example, you may bring a rigid truck to the Market on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and a van on Tuesday and Thursday.  But if you intend to bring both the rigid truck and the van to the Market on the same day at the same time, you’ll need two parking permits for two separate parking bays.
• Access time for the market starts 30 minutes before the trade period, up until 30 minutes before the end of trade.
• The loading zone is shared equally by the parking bay on either side. We had considered allocating an entire loading zone to a parking bay (for example the loading bay on the right of the parking bay). While this model would work well for some, it is not practical for others. Sharing the loading bays will give you the most flexibility.
• It’s expected that you and your neighbour will work out the arrangement to use the space.
• Vehicles can’t share parking bays regardless of vehicle size relative to the size of the parking bay.
• Compared to West Melbourne, the truck parking bays are much larger. In addition, each reserved rigid truck bay comes with a loading zone.

Parking permits

• Every vehicle needs a parking permit to enter the Market. There is one parking permit per parking bay. This system is being implemented at West Melbourne for unreserved vehicle parking from 1 April 2015.
• Parking permits are transferrable from one vehicle to another to accommodate your needs. For example, you may bring a rigid truck to the Market on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and a van on Tuesday and Thursday.  But if you intend to bring both the rigid truck and the van to the Market on the same day at the same time, you’ll need two parking permits for two separate parking bays.

Market access

• Access time for the market starts 30 minutes before the trade period, up until 30 minutes before the end of trade.

Parking bays

• The loading zone is shared equally by the parking bay on either side. We had considered allocating an entire loading zone to a parking bay (for example the loading bay on the right of the parking bay). While this model would work well for some, it is not practical for others. Sharing the loading bays will give you the most flexibility.
• It’s expected that you and your neighbour will work out the arrangement to use the space.
• Vehicles can’t share parking bays regardless of vehicle size relative to the size of the parking bay.
• Compared to West Melbourne, the truck parking bays are much larger. In addition, each reserved rigid truck bay comes with a loading zone.

Finding services near you

You can now work out the closest place to buy coffee, get your forklift serviced or buy supplies. The plan of the Market below shows that no matter where you are located, you won’t be too far from market services. There is a wide variety of outlets, with more to come.

Pooling equipment accounts (pallet accounts)

Every fruit and vegetable related business will need an account for pallets (pooling equipment account) for the new Market at Epping.

Pallets have a tangible, monetary value. Items of value that are easily transferrable can lead to conflict or theft within the market. The theft of pallets is estimated to be costing the market community millions of dollars each year increasing the cost of doing business.

If you don’t use pallets, you will need to complete a statutory declaration and you will be exempt from this requirement. If you trade with both CHEP and Loscam, you will need accounts with both.

Setting up an account is free. CHEP and Loscam are working with store and stand holders on initiatives to minimise costs for buyers who do the right thing and return pallets within five days – stay tuned for further details. CHEP and Loscam will be at the Epping Information Centre from mid March to answer queries and to help you to set up a pooling equipment account.

To get an account, contact the providers and tell them you are from the Market:

• CHEP – call 132 437 or email melbourne.market@chep.com
• Loscam – call 1300 309 930 or email James.penrose@loscam.com.

Communication survey

An online survey was open to everyone in the market during February, to provide feedback on how they would like to get information about the transition to the new Market at Epping.

We received almost 300 responses from people representing most groups within the market community.

Survey responses showed there is need for up-to-date information from a range of sources.

Retailers were the largest group to participate in the survey, making up more than one third of responses. While most retailers said they are currently getting the right amount of information, some said that they would like more information.

Emails directly from the MMA/Department, This Week in the Market and text messages (SMS) were retailers’ preferred communication channels. More than 80 per cent of retailers who responded own a smart phone.

Forklift/electric vehicle storage

There are three forklift/electric vehicle storage areas in the new Market. In mid-March, an Expression of Interest (EOI) will go out for the allocation of forklift/electric vehicle storage bays.

All businesses that currently have a forklift storage cage licence for the West Melbourne Market will be given priority in the EOI. There will be a site visit on Thursday 26 March 2015
to view the storage areas.

For forklift/electric vehicle storage, businesses will be allocated one of the storage areas based on the location of their business and their parking. If you submit an EOI, you’ll be notified of the outcome in April 2015.

To dispose of this document, please place in the recycling bins provided.