Save Inkerman St movement locals meet with City of Port Phillip councillors over hotly debated bike lane
St Kilda traders and residents crowded into a community meeting to lobby their council to stop the loss of 116 parking spots to make way for an unwanted bike lane.
Inner South
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The fight to save much-needed carparks from being chopped to make way for a bike lane on one of St Kilda’s leading retail and foodie strips is heating up.
Locals and traders packed out the Inkerman Hotel with some spilling out onto the street, where they vocally attacked the proposal they believe would sink businesses in the area.
Opposing the hotly disputed plans to install a dedicated bike lane to 1.2km of the road, the community had one core request of the councillors in attendance: to completely take the most invasive option out of the equation all together.
In late 2023, the City of Port Phillip Council floated the plans to remove 116 carparks of 180 spots to make way for a dedicated bike lane along Inkerman St between Hotham St and St Kilda Rd, estimated to cost rate payers $9m.
Both options would severely impact more than 50 businesses along the affected stretch of road, many of whom had little to no idea that plans were even being proposed.
Tensions were high between the affected community and the Port Phillip councillors, in a highly attended meeting intended to lobby the councillors.
Leading the Save Inkerman St charge was business owner and resident Jaz Bradley, who had all but single-handedly brought the proposal to her neighbourhood’s attention.
She presented to the crowd and seven of the nine sitting Port Phillip councillors, outlining the grievances of her community that had so far gone unheard.
“We are asking for there to be more consultation with the community that’s affected,” she said.
“All businesses need multiple car parks to function for staff and clients. Many don’t have off street parking.”
One such business is the Melbourne Kosher Butcher, which has called Inkerman St home since 1978.
One of only two kosher butchers in Melbourne, owner Yaakov Unfanger supplies more than 120 customers a day, demonstrating the need for surrounding car parks.
Mr Unfanger receives two deliveries a week and without a driveway or permit zone for trucks, they are often forced to double park.
Mr Unfanger’s staff are also ineligible for parking permits, meaning they are forced to move their cars constantly throughout the day or risk getting fined, something which happens constantly.
Highlighting the plight of businesses and clinics who service clients with significant mobility issues, Ms Bradley pointed out the struggle they would face in accessing the businesses should patients have to cross the road or park a significant distance away, as well as the strain the reduction of car spots would put on residents of the street.
“Many residents and businesses aren’t eligible for permit parking and rely on available street parking,” she said.
“Not to mention many people in our community don’t have or use emails, and therefore don’t have the connectivity that the council is expecting.”
In a video package presented at the meeting, business owners and residents were used as case studies to further highlight the impact the removal of the car spots would have.
Port Phillip City mayor Heather Cunsolo attended the meeting and took questions at the culmination of the presentation, reminding residents it was not a decision making forum.
“There will be an opportunity made before the decision to see what the community engagement says,” she told the audience.
“This session was purely a forum for us to hear and listen to you. If you are having issues, please let us know what they are.”
Ms Cunsolo said the date for the decision for council had not yet been decided on.
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