City of Port Phillip to make changes to controversial pop-up bike lanes

Residents who described new pop-up bike lanes as a “desecration of our roads” and “a disaster waiting to happen” have had a small win at a fiery council meeting.

An inner city council will ask the state government to make changes to controversial pop-up bike lanes amid a residents’ backlash.

Several people addressed a City of Port Phillip meeting on Wednesday night complaining about the installation of speed humps, bollards, concrete blocks and yellow markings on local streets for the program.

Councillor Andrew Bond had originally put up a motion for the Department of Transport to remove the measures, and to halt the bike lane rollout.

However, a watered-down compromise motion was finally agreed to after Mr Bond realised his original one wouldn’t get support of most councillors.

The council will ask the government to provide justification on safety or other grounds for the installation of things like speed humps, bollards and yellow lines for the bike lanes.

It will also request for the removal of central bike lanes in certain Port Phillip streets, and for a review of community safety concerns among other requests.

Mr Bond said he wasn’t anti-bike, but the community was unhappy with the program, and felt they hadn’t been consulted about changes “in front of their houses”.

Pop up bike lanes have drawn the ire of some residents. Picture: David Crosling

“What’s out there is not working, it’s not safe, it needs...major changes,” he said.

St Kilda resident Ewan Young told the meeting that the changes to streets were ugly, confusing and dangerous.

“We all agree...it’s only a matter of time before someone is injured or killed,” he said.

Cameron Smith, from South Melbourne, said “concrete bollards in the middle of the street are just a disaster waiting to happen”.

Middle Park resident Robyn Taylor called the bike lanes “desecration of our roads” and “undignified ugliness”.

But Bicycle Network acting CEO Rebecca Lane told the meeting that “the protected bike lanes can save lives and you cannot walk away from that”.

Port Phillip Bike Users Group member Julie Clutterbuck said some of the changes were a “bit ugly”, but more bike travel was needed amid the “climate emergency”.

“I urge you to be constructive and not obstructive,” she told councillors.

Local Labor MP Nina Taylor, MLC for Southern Metropolitan Region, said there was merit in continuing with the trial and for the Department of Transport and council to get feedback.

“The government does not presume the outcome of the trial,” she said.

The final decision on whether the bike lanes become permanent will be made by the council.