Jan 062019
Oct 082018
The glossy documents claim that “Fishermans Bend [will be] an exceptional place to cycle”. However the proposed network relies on eight new bridges which are unfunded. See Fishermens Bend Framework (PDF). These bridges will also have uphill grades to climb.
Continue reading »Aug 212018
Submission On behalf of Melbourne Bicycle User Group
The inclusion of bike lanes on Linlithgow Rd is welcome, but these must be physically protected lanes because of the volume and speed of motor traffic. The connection from the Alexander Gardens via traffic lights need to be improved. These connections will provide an alternative route to the Yarra Southbank path which is suitable only for low-speed bike “strolling” while through bicycle traffic can use the safe bike lanes along Sth Bank Bvd and Linlithgow St as a bypass.
South of the Queen Victoria Gardens, Linlithgow Ave needs to be removed as it has no purpose. There is no logic to allowing rat-running through motor traffic on this section of Linlithgow Ave because all through traffic should be on St Kilda Rd and Domain Rd.
A two-way bicycle only path should parallel the tan track from the QV Gardens to Park St Sth Yarra. Car access should be restricted to Government House and the Observatory gate/Shrine area. Linlithgow avenue divides the parklands and is a barrier to safe pedestrian movement.
Dallas Brooks Drive can remain open for access to the Herbarium Gate with a bus parking area. The remainder of Birdwood Ave should be removed as it is a waste of open space and breaks the continuity of parkland along it’s length.
Around the Shrine, jogging and cycling are not permitted but car parking is allowed (on the grass). This seems inconsistent. A dedicated small parking area could be provided off St Kilda Rd or off Domain Rd, enough to service staff and possibly some bus parking. This would remove any need for MV access via Birdwood Ave.
These changes could be made as the Metro project winds up and St Kilda Rd and Domain Rds are restored to their arterial road function.
There are no safe bicycle routes in the entire eastern half of the master plan area. Repurposing the Birdwood Ave corridor to walking, tan track & cycling will address this in part, and although beyond the scope of this masterplan, Anderson St needs protected bike lanes to complete the connectivity of this area.
Jul 272018
Victorian Cycling Groups are getting together to discuss coordination and goals for this year’s State election. If your group hasn’t been contacted yet, please get in touch via our Contact Us page or register via https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/cyclists-get-organised-for-the-2018-victorian-state-election-tickets-48150575668 to let us know you are coming.
The meeting will be from 5:30 to 8:00 PM on Tuesday August 7th at Maurice Blackburn, 380 LaTrobe St, Melbourne.
With both of the major parties giving little thought and less funding to safe bicycle infrastructure, what can we do? Come along with your ideas and goals.
Oct 242017
The Masterplan
St Kilda Rd is divided along most of its length between City of Port Phillip (CoPP) and City of Melbourne (CoM). St. Kilda Road is the main commuter route for people who ride bikes from the south eastern suburbs into the city, with over 3000 cyclists per day. It is the second most dangerous street for cyclists in Melbourne, with 174 crashes between 2006 and 2015. There is a narrow bicycle lane, with ‘car dooring’ a major concern on this route.
For about 10 years now a masterplan has been in preparation by CoM, CoPP has been working hard to get safe bike lanes and VicRoads has done the preparatory work to make it happen.
History
Current St Kilda Rd bikelanes: 
The masterplan has never reached the stage of a draft for public comment, but has always included protected bike lanes. About eight years ago, this was leaked to the media who door-stopped the then roads minister (now treasurer of Victoria) Tim Pallas about the idea. His off-the-cuff reaction was to reject safe bikelanes in favour of “easing congestion” for cars. The masterplan then gathered dust for about four years before the Balieu Government was elected in 2010 and indicated they were willing to take a fresh look at St Kilda Rd. City of Port Phillip, City of Melbourne and Local liberal member Clem Newtown-Brown pushed hard for safe bicycle lanes on St Kilda Road.
After forming government in 2014 Labor promised to investigate protected bicycle lanes. During construction of the Domain Station, motor traffic in St Kilda Road is constrained, creating a once in a lifetime opportunity to construct safe bike lanes while traffic levels are low. VicRoads spent six months and over $300,000 investigating options for protected bicycle lanes. The study outcomes haven’t been released but Vicroads has looked at protected lanes in the centre of St Kilda Rd, adjacent to the tram tracks. This time it was the Premier who was asked on talkback radio and replied “we won’t be having any of that”. Although the project hasn’t been officially cancelled, the Premier’s comment makes progress unlikely. City of Port Phillip stated http://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/apr-2017-media_6957.htm that they would prefer footpath adjacent protected lanes.
Centre-of-road Lanes
No details are known for the design of centre-of-road lanes. If done well with effective separation from cars, with controlled turns at all intersections to remove conflict with motor vehicles, centre-of-road lanes would be much better than the current door-zone lanes. We believe however that a superior option exists which should be considered. Please read on and give us your comments below.
Melboune BUG’s proposal
Melbourne BUG’s proposal is for bike lanes adjacent to the footpath, with a buffer between bikes and cars provided by the nature strip (grass and trees) as well as the car-parking lane. This is possible because the trees in St Kilda Rd are old and due to be replaced, so new trees can be located closer to the centre of the road. Putting a protected lane in the usual position, next to the kerb, is problematic owing to the large number of driveways, so while the current door-zone lane hides bikes from cars leaving driveways, a kerbside lane will hide bikes from cars leaving the road. Putting the lane next to the footpath, with effective delineation to deter pedestrian ingress, will create space for a car to wait out of the traffic lane before or after crossing the footpath and bikelane. Cars will cross the bike lane at right angles, with good visibility. The footpath and bikelane could be raised to present “piano keys” to cars, slowing them on the approach.
Locating the bike lane adjacent to the footpath recognises that bike riders are vulnerable road users, more similar to pedestrians than to cars. Whilst the current users of St Kilda Rd might include many who are commuting into the City, we know that most people will only cycle short distances. They aren’t doing it at the moment because they don’t feel safe, but provided with safe lanes they will be more likely to. Using a bike to access addresses along St Kilda Rd will be encouraged by these lanes. Centre-of-road lanes are possible in a small number of roads in Melbourne. Changing driver behaviour will be more successful if road layouts are well understood and predictable. Making St Kilda Rd different to 99.9% of Melbourne’s roads is not ideal.
Dockless Share Bikes
The emergence of dockless bikeshare will also encourage short trips by bicycle. The huge success of these bikes is a game-changing opportunity to take cycling mainstream. Massive uptake of share bikes will make short trips by bike common and an attractive way to get to nearby destinations.
We believe that focusing on what current cyclists want is only part of the story, and there are many people not currently using bikes who will find ubiquitous dockless sharebikes very convenient. We base this forecast on the experience of other cities as well as Melbourne’s experience so far.
A centre-of-road lane works against short trips by making it harder to access mid-block destinations.
Trams
Trams on St Kilda Rd will continue to dominate movement for longer trips but share bikes could take over for short trips. Also, surprisingly, trams can’t cope with the load against the peak direction, as anyone trying to get into the City in the evening peak would know. Imagine watching full trams bypass your stop, and seeing a share bike sitting on the nature strip next to the safe bike lane.
Evaluate both options
Our position is that government should evaluate both options with costed designs for each and public debate about their relative merits.
Apr 232017
SYDNEY ROAD IS CHANGING SOON
Planning is underway for major changes in Sydney Rd including disability access tram stops and possibly protected bike lanes, wider footpaths and better use of parking off Sydney Road.
This is a once in a lifetime chance to make Sydney Road safe and welcoming for all road users. Moving parking off street will allow wider footpaths, protected bike lanes and trams no longer held up waiting for car parking movements.
Come and help the campaign, next meeting Thursday 6pm, St Ambrose church meeting room 287 sydney Rd Brunswick.
For more information see Revitalise Sydney Road.
Dec 272016
Whatever your opinion on a one-meter passing law, good data is hard to come by to know for sure either way. It might be the #157th most important thing to make riding a bike safer and more popular, or it might be the next best thing after protected bike lanes and filtered permeability. States that have introduced this law have done no before-and-after studies to determine whether there was any effect, beneficial or otherwise. Victoria may introduce a 1m law soon, so time is short to rectify this data deficit and get measurements before a law exists, and to continue with measurement after a law is introduced.
You can help by volunteering to mount a PassBox on your bike for a week on our website for this project at http://passboxmelbourne.com/.
Oct 122016
City of Yarra is our next door neighbour. Two candidates there are making cycling issues prominent in their campaign.
In Nicholls Ward (Nth Carlton, Fitzroy) Troy Parsons is standing, endorsed by the Australian Cyclists Party. In Melba Ward (Richmond), local trader Herschel Landes is standing as an independent.
Sep 112016
Read our Our detailed plan for South Bank Boulevard and then sign the petition!
Our petition has the key improvements that Melbourne needs to attract more people to cycling for everyday trips. Except for St Kilda Rd lanes, Council hasn’t supported these in the past, so we will be asking candidates to sign a pledge to support these things:
- Protected lanes with protected intersections on Southbank Boulevard
- The 2016-2020 bicycle plan – implemented in full
- Protected lanes on St Kilda Road
- A safe route through the south side of the CBD
- Protected lanes on Flemington Road.
Jun 182015
Green paint (in places) is all that will join two of Melbourne’s rare protected bike lanes, and only during peak hours.
Failing to learn from the part time, part way, paint only, parked in bike “lanes” in Exhibition St, The City of Melbourne has announced similar poor quality provision between the protected lanes in Latrobe Street and Albert Street. This is a lost opportunity to connect two (Melbourne only has three) protected bike lanes and link them with a facility of similar high standard.
Eastbound, going up Latrobe St will require a right turn into Exhibition, then a block of Little Lonsdale St, which is not wide enough to accommodate a bicycle and a car – so you will need to hold up the traffic and ride up the middle of the street. Then make another right turn, into Spring St.
Coming into the city will be a peak hour only clearway bike lane – we know from Exhibition Street how well that works. Then a right turn into Spring St and another part time unprotected lane.
If you are coming in from Fitzroy you will have to go out of your way to reach this excellent facility because Vicroads determined that Victoria Parade is not for bicycles (too narrow presumably), then come back up to La Trobe St, or else if you are turning left at Nicholson Street, risk the dangerously narrow car-door bike lane to get to Spring St. It’s a dangerous door-zone lane because the City of Melbourne is unwilling to remove four car parking spaces.
This is not the way to make cycling an attractive option for the average person. It is a way to ensure cycling stays a small niche of the transport system.