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Long queues ... Shoppers waited up to three hours to exit the Castle Towers car park. Picture: Channel Seven
WHEN Sydneysiders headed out for a spot of last-minute Christmas shopping, they’d prepared for the chaos that afflicts most shopping centres leading into the festive season.
But the last thing they expected was to be trapped in a three-hour traffic jam on their way out of the Castle Towers car park, exacerbating their Christmas shopping headaches.
Yes, you read right. Three. Hours.
Drivers have described chaotic scenes, and shopper Lee-Anne Roe declared she was boycotting the centre in the city’s northwest after getting stuck in the clogged car park.
“Three hours stuck on the roof — you are kidding yourselves — never coming back here again,†she wrote on Facebook.
Another woman told 2GB people were desperately trying help someone get their car out because children on-board were vomiting.
Some drivers resorted to leave their cars behind and hail a cab back home just to escape the bedlam.
Another frustrated shopper said her car crawled only five metres in an hour.
Police warned locals of “extensive delays for patrons leaving Castle Towers†and indicated the wait to exit was on average 1.5 hours despite some facing three-hour hold-ups. “There are additional police working user pay duties along with centre management staff trying to reduce delays. However, due to large numbers of shoppers and cars, extensive delays will continue,†police wrote on Facebook.
In a statement sent to 2GB, Castle Towers centre manager Martin Ollis stressed they were trying to minimise the traffic havoc.
Frantic ... When Christmas shopping ends on a very, very sour note. Picture: Channel SevenSource:Supplied
“During the final days of the popular Christmas trading period the surrounding roads are busy, and Castle Towers Management is doing everything they can at this time to ensure that out customers can enter and exit the centre in a timely and safe manner,†Mr Ollis said.
Nearby roadworks for the construction of the North West Rail Link are believed to have contributed to the congestion.
And of course, after news of the car park jam broke, Aussies voiced their relief at having avoided the mayhem.
One Twitter user suggested shoppers take up cycling — but we’re not sure how practical that advice is when you need to carry home a pile of toys.