BRIMBANK traders’ calls for action on the spate of vicious attacks at the Deer Park Town Centre have been answered.

Brimbank Council called a community meeting in a desperate bid to combat the escalating violence at the troubled shopping strip where traders have been set upon in recent months.

The frightened shopkeepers say they are being terrified in their own businesses and are urging the council to step up safety at the popular Ballarat Rd shops.

Traders are campaigning for the council to install extra lighting and security cameras to deter criminals who, they say, are making their lives a nightmare. They are also pushing for a new community facility in Deer Park to entice troubled youths off the streets.

Several shopkeepers have spoken to Star over the past two weeks in a bid to break the cycle of violence. Deer Park newsagency owner Bruce Niblett was brutally bashed, kicked and hit with a glass bottle during two vicious assaults in the space of a month.

Nearby kebab store owner Tumcel Irtat was stabbed in the stomach with a syringe during a violent attack this month.

In just two weeks, Brimbank police recorded at least nine crimes committed in and around the shopping strip, including assaults, armed robberies and drug offences.

Sunshine Lions Club member Les Tarczon said the community was extremely concerned about the violence and believed security cameras and better lighting would help ease the crisis.

“It’s not just about calling the police, it’s about putting things in place that will act as a deterrent,” Mr Tarczon said.

Deer Park pharmacist Chris Luu said traders were seeking a “holistic approach” and would be pushing for the council to fund more services for local youth.

Still recovering from his injuries, Mr Niblett said he welcomed the forum, which will include traders, residents, local police and council representatives.

“We don’t want the violence to overflow, so we need to get it under control now,” Mr Niblett said.

But Stephen Sully, the council’s general manager of City Development indicated that the council would not be considering funding for security cameras, saying that responsibility for safety rested with police. Mr Sully also rejected the idea of a new youth facility for the area. The meeting will be held this Thursday at the Deer Park Library at 7pm.