City of Melbourne votes to fast-track bike lane expansion project

The City of Melbourne has voted to speed up the delivery of 44km of bike lanes around the city in a bid to tackle the climate emergency.

The City of Melbourne last week voted to fast track the delivery of 44km of bike lanes. Picture: David Caird

A major bike lane blitz is set to ramp up around the city in a bid to tackle the nation’s climate emergency.

The City of Melbourne last week voted to fast track the delivery of 44km of bike lanes, which will help achieve its 2040 zero emissions target by giving “more people the option to leave the car at home”.

The move forms a key part of the council’s Climate and Biodiversity Emergency Action Plan, which also aims to transition council assets from fossil fuels and accelerate renewable energy purchasing by Melbourne businesses and residents.

Councillor Roshena Campbell was the only member to vote against fast-tracking the bike lane project, with all other councillors endorsing the continued rollout of its climate action plan.

Ms Campbell said the council’s bike lane delivery to date “had significant concerns” and accelerating the rollout would not resolve any existing issues.

About 19km of protected bike lanes have already been installed around the city. Picture: Jason Edwards

“We need to provide safe routes for cyclists but we need to get bike lane delivery right,” Ms Campbell said.

“Sometimes that doesn’t mean quick is best. There are always going to be competing tensions about the use of our road space, but we can get this right. We just need to take the time to do it.”

Ms Campbell said there were design issues with existing city bike lanes, leading to traffic congestion and deterring visitors from driving into the CBD.

About 19km of protected bike lanes have already been installed around the city, including on Exhibition St, Spencer St and St Kilda Rd.

Another 25km of bike lanes is set to be rolled out in the coming months, including at Flinders St and around North Melbourne.

The council hoped to deliver all 44km of bike lanes within four years, but the project stalled following a one year pause on new cycling infrastructure in the CBD.

Councillor Rohan Leppert said the City of Melbourne would “do everything that (they) can” to get the project back on track.

“Obviously, that is one of the targets we’ve set for ourselves … where we’re teetering towards not quite being on track, but we’re going to do everything that we can to continue to meet that and all of those actions … in this plan to address the climate emergency,” Mr Leppert said.

“Every level of government and every institution – public and private – needs to chip in to meet Australia’s carbon emission targets as good global citizens.”