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Stonnington Council reject our Door-away Bike lane for Chapel Street

May 10th, 2013 · Advocacy

 

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A cyclist navigates Chapel Street, Melbourne’s worst spot for so-called doorings. Photo: Wayne Taylor

Stonnington Council reject our Door-away Bike lane, despite it being supported by VicRoads Cycling Victoria & Boroondara City Council.

 

The Age: Council blocks radical Chapel St bike lane plan (10 May 2013) Adam Carey

A promise to reduce the high number of bicycle crashes on one of Melbourne’s busiest inner-city streets is in limbo after a local council rejected a radical bike lane design proposed by government authority VicRoads.

The design, for Chapel Street in Prahran – a busy cycling route that is also one of Melbourne’s premier strips for shopping and street life – proposed a narrow, brightly painted bike lane alongside the tram corridor, in a bid to cut the risk of cyclists riding into opened car doors.

Chapel Street is one of the city’s worst places for so-called doorings. More than a third of 86 reported bike crashes on the street between 2007 and 2011 were from doorings, according to VicRoads. The street is narrow and congested, with heavy car traffic, on-street parking and Melbourne’s slowest trams.

The Napthine government last year committed $275,000 for new bike lanes for Chapel Street, but the project has stalled due to conflict over the bike lane’s design, with Stonnington City Council this week rejecting VicRoads’ proposal and calling for more consultation. VicRoads had originally hoped to have completed the project by early this year.

Yarra Trams this week also opposed the design, which is previously untrialled in Australia, on the basis that it would encourage cyclists to ride too close to trams.

Clem Newton-Brown, Liberal MP for Prahran, who pledged at the 2010 state election to improve cyclist safety along Chapel Street, said Stonnington Council was now standing in the way of an outcome.

“This money was provided in last year’s budget and my concern is that council will work co-operatively with VicRoads to quickly resolve this issue,” Mr Newton-Brown said. “It’s an issue that’s been going on for some time now and the community in Stonnington and Prahran is expecting these works to be done to improve cycling in our area and it can’t be done without the support of council.”

Boyd Fraser, a local cycling advocate, said VicRoads’ design was the best way to reduce the high number of doorings, not only on Chapel Street but on other streets that similarly have trams and heavily used on-street parking. [Read more →]

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Institute of Transportation Engineers Australia & New Zealand Section: Cycling Issues Forum

April 19th, 2013 · Advocacy

Institute of Transportation Engineers Australia & New Zealand Section:  Cycling Issues Forum

The purpose of this forum is to illustrate the wide range of issues concerning cycling and to show some of the work that is being done to address them.

  • 3.30pm – 6.30pm Wednesday 24th April 2013
  • Richmond Town Hall, 333 Bridge Road, Richmond
  • Host: City of Yarra

Short presentation by panel members then questions & discussion. This is a free seminar. Light refreshments will be provided by the City of Yarra.

Registration: Please confirm your attendance by registering by close of business Monday 22 April 2013 at www.iteanz2013april.eventbrite.com

Panel Members:

  • Victoria’s Cycling Strategy, Michael Hopkins, Executive Director, Policy and Communications Division, DOT
  • Learning from International Best Practice, Dr Jan Garrard, Senior Lecturer School of Health and Social Development, Deakin Univ
  • Bicycles in growth areas, Alistair Cummings, Manager Integrated Transport Engineering, VicRoads
  • Healthy new suburbs, Bart Sbeghen, Bicycle Network Victoria
  • Growth in Cycling, Chris Hui, Sustainable Transport Officer, City of Boroondara
  • Operation Halo, Senior Sergeant Dale Johnstone, Victoria Police
  • Left turn slip lanes, Mark O’Brien, O’Brien Traffic
  • Wayfinding, Winchelle Chuson, Transport & Traffic Officer, City of Knox
  • Cyclist Safety, Marcel Lema, Cycling Victoria
  • A Sydney Perspective, Dick van den Dool, GTA Consultants
  • Political Perspective, Boyd Fraser, Cycling lobbyist
  • Manifesto for Safer Bike Riding, Dr Marilyn Johnson, Amy Gillett Foundation

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