Melbourne BUG is a Bicycle User Group for the City of Melbourne municipality. Anyone who lives in, cycles through or is interested in cycling in the CBD, Carlton, North Melbourne, Kensington, West Melbourne, East Melbourne, Docklands, Southbank or on St Kilda Rd is welcome to join or contribute to Melbourne BUG.
Melbourne City Council has consulted with the public regarding changes to
Swanston Street, which may have an impact on the large numbers of cyclists which
use the street each day. They proposed seven options, from banning bikes to
removing all motor vehicle traffic.
Here's what Melbourne Bicycle User Group thinks of the seven options:
1. No good. We don't want to go back to the traffic sewer of the 1980s. Get the
cars out of Swanston Street.
2. Not quite right. Cars need to be removed 24/7, not 12/7. (See our alternative
proposal below - 2a)
3. Bizarre. Bikes between trams? I don't think so.
4. No good. Totally confusing for everyone.
5. No good. Totally confusing for everyone.
6. Maybe. The bike / ped separation would have to be well designed to avoid
another Southbank.
7. No way. Not acceptable. Discrimination against bikes is not on.
2a. As 2, but:
We asked cyclists to sign our petition (now closed), which we used to tell Council that we all want the street kept open and improved for bikes.
Council will consider a report on the consultations on June 30th at 4pm. They'll then decide what to do about Swanston Street.
Melbourne BUG will be at the meeting and will report the outcome on this page. If the result is unfavourable, we'll be calling on cyclists to help us continue the fight for a sensible outcome for cyclists on Swanston Street.
If you'd like to be involved in the on-going campaign to improve Swanston Street for bikes, let us know via info@melbournbug.org