Proposed Sydney Rd trial to create cycle only lanes for 6 months

Moreland Council has come up with an audacious plan it says will make life easier for cyclists during level crossing works. But shocked traders on Sydney Rd say the plans will drive customers away and kill their businesses.

Cars using the outside lanes of Sydney Rd will be scrapped in a proposed trial.

Carparking would be banned from Sydney Rd for six months under a proposed trial that traders say could ruin businesses.

Bicycle-only lanes would be created in both outside lanes of the street between Brunswick and Glenlyon roads under the trial mooted by Moreland Council.

It would cut a massive 100 car parking spaces from the street.

The road is managed by the Department of Transport and would require State Government approval for the trial to go ahead.

The council will write to the Department of Transport to lobby for it.

The plan matches Option 3 of a public survey undertaken by the department in June this year., and results of that survey are set to be released next month.

On-street parking would be slashed in favour of cycle-only lanes

The trial would take place during level crossing removal work on the Upfield train line, which would displace hundreds of cyclists a day from the Upfield Shared Path.

But Sydney Road Brunswick Association manager Claire Perry said it could result in business closures.

“Six months is 26 weeks, that’s a very long time to gamble with traders livelihoods,” she said.

“They haven’t thought it through as far as managing the strip and traffic turning left and right on the road.”

Association president and Jessicakes shop owner Jessica Tolsma said the council was ignoring trader views.

“The proof in Melbourne is that when you remove parking from strip shops like Acland St and Bridge Rd, it doesn’t work and decimates businesses,” she said.

“When there is proof, and stark proof like that, why would (the council) have voted yes and ignored the owners pleas?”

Tynan Babbel, who owns clothing store Finki on the road, said his store would probably not make rent if the trial went ahead.

“We need to create a plan that suits the need of a diverse group of people not just a minority group,” he said.

“According to the council’s own survey only 8 per cent of those asked were cyclists, it’s a minority group that they are making a majority change for.”

Councillors Natalie Abboud, Sue Bolton, Jess Dorney, Dale Martin and Mark Riley voted for the proposal, which was won on Cr Abboud’s mayoral casting vote, at a heated meeting on Wednesday night.

The plan would trial this option from the Department of Transport.

Several traders voiced their concerns with the plan, fearing their businesses wouldn’t survive the length of the trial.

Department metro north west regional director Vince Punaro said feedback was still being considered on improvements to the road and all users would be considered.

He did not answer when asked if the department was open to the trial.

Trams and cars would be left to share one lane each way.

A council survey of 854 visitors showed only 13 per cent parked on Sydney Rd.

Cr Riley said nearby streets would be able to soak up the extra cars.

“A trial losing 100 carparks on the road is certainly going to have an impact but it’s not going to be so great,” he said.

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But Ms Perry said the best solution would be to fix the shared path to keep cyclists to their own thoroughfare.

A survey run by the traders in May found 81 per cent of bike riders would prefer to use the path rather than Sydney Rd if it was improved.

The association’s preferred method of improvement on the road is to have defined cycle lanes to and from the city alternating during each peak time.