Aug 012013
 

Cr Foster (ALP member,  4-wheel driving inner suburban resident) has moved the following motion at the City of Melbourne's Future Melbourne committee meeting to be held 5:30pm Tuesday 6th August.

NOTICE OF MOTION: PRINCES BRIDGE/ST KILDA ROAD BIKE LANES

That the Future Melbourne Committee requests management to undertake the following:
1. present a report to the Committee meeting on 10 September 2013 on the status of Princes Bridge/St Kilda
Rd bike lanes including an assessment of community concerns relating to congestion and public safety and
any proposed remedy by management to address such matters; and
2. deferral of any further works on the bike lanes until the matter has been considered at the Committee
meeting.
Background
Following commencement of installation works on the Princes Bridge/St Kilda Rd bike lanes, significant
community concern has been expressed in relation to traffic congestion, travel time delays and public safety.
In light of increased community concern, it is proposed that an update briefing be provided on the status of
works including a Council officer assessment of the community concerns being raised.
It is important that this update and assessment be provided in a public forum to allow the community to be
better informed on the status and proposed solutions to any problems.
Until this information is presented to Committee, it is proposed that any further works on the bike lanes be
deferred.
Moved: Cr Foster

Cr Foster is prepared to align with the RACV, the Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Herald Sun to oppose completion of the St Kilda Road bike lanes. He is calling for a "briefing" despite having received a briefing this week, in which he was told that the new lanes were not causing a blow-out in travel times, the same number of cars are getting through the Flinders St lights as before and the traffic flows are as predicted by the modelling carried out as part of planning the project.

Cr Foster is grandstanding to make himself better known in the electorate, with a view to furthering his political career.  We need to show him that underminding valuable projects to make cycling safer and more attractive will have the opposite effect and make him unelectable in this community.  The best way to do this is to make a submission to Council opposing his motion. It's easy, just send an email to

com.meetings@melbourne.vic.gov.au

Your submission is powerful, all councillors are handed the public submissions before the meeting and have them in front of them when the item is considered.

 Posted by at 4:35 pm

  3 Responses to “Cr Foster moves against Princes Bridge lanes”

  1. Repair bike lanes!

  2. St Kilda Road desperately needs upgraded bicycle infrastructure to address the current unsafe conditions faced by the hundreds of people who choose to travel by bicycle in to the city each day. The present road alignment places cyclists at risk of opening doors and conflict with cars especially where lanes change. Many of those travelling by car are undoubtedly put off from alternative forms of active transport due to these safety concerns. If a separated bike lane were to be introduced all cyclists would be safer and those most vulnerable would be protected. Imagine a situation where kids could ride to school themselves rather than being ferried by parents taking up valuable road space? Any concerns around reduced capacity for motorised vehicles would soon be alleviated by reduced demand as people switch to the new and improved non-motorised alternative.

     

     

    This initiative must be undertaken without delay and I oppose any delay in implementation.

     

    Regards,

     

    Jon Bartlett

  3. The creation of bike lanes on St Kilda road and Princes bridge is an urgent improvement to make cycling through Melbourne safer and attractive.   Using the footpath bikelanes are fraught with danger as tourists weave around taking in the splendor of Melbourne.  The narrow lane on the road is disregarded by cars and I am almost always required to walk me bike past a number of cars that wait in the bike lane when they could easily move right and make room for bikes to flow freely.   As a bike rider I appose any call for a delay in the construction of safer and wider bike paths in the Arts precinct of Princes Bridge and St Kilda road.  I applaud the implementation of the separated bike lanes in LaTrobe street which have made my passage through the city by bike a much more attractive option to jumping on already packed trams or driving my car.  Yes I also frequently drive into the city and have no objection to relinquishing a lane for the safe passage of cyclists.  The more cyclists the less congestion.

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