Inkerman St community wins battle with council over bike lane project

An inner southeastern council has voted on a controversial bike lane project, slated to cost rate payers an estimated $7 million.

An inner-city council has voted for a less invasive option to a controversial bike lane project, delivering a victory for Inkerman St residents and traders.

Passionate St Kilda residents packed out the Port Phillip Council meeting on Wednesday night to hear the vote over the proposal to slash a potential 114 car spots from a busy retail and residential strip.

The hotly debated bike lane is set to stretch 1.2km along Inkerman St between St Kilda Rd and Hotham St, costing rate payers an estimated $7 million.

The newly voted proposal (Option B) will only remove 14 car spots, a vast difference from the initial 116 car spot removal option slated in late 2023.

The original Option A floated by the council would see a huge impact on local traders and residents ability to park.

After hearing more than 60 residents and traders from St Kilda speak, Councillor Christina Sirakoff said Option A “didn’t pass the pub test”.

“I won’t turn against the community, they’ve told us what they want and what is best for them,” she said.

Another vote for Option B came from Councillor Rhonda Clark, who said councillors “would have to be tone deaf” to support any other option.

The Save Inkerman St community group leader Jaz Bradley was relieved at the result.

“I’ve been working on this night and day for six months,” she said.

“It’s been a slog, but it’s been worth it in the end.”

Businesses have been threatened with bad reviews by bike-advocates after displaying the Save Inkerman St posters.

Ms Bradley also noted criticism the community had faced since opposing the bike lane.

“We’ve been accused of making a council decision political, local businesses have been threatened with bad reviews when they’ve put up our posters,” she said.

“It’s not political, it’s our lives. We’ve had politicians from both sides of the table lobby for us on this.”