Little Streets in Melbourne CBD to be transformed and traffic slowed to 20km/h
Traffic on Melbourne’s iconic Little Streets will be slowed to a crawl of 20km/h as the City of Melbourne brings forward a bold plan to hand back the thoroughfares to pedestrians.
Victoria
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Traffic on Melbourne’s iconic Little Streets will be slowed to a crawl of 20km/h as the City of Melbourne brings forward a bold plan to hand back the thoroughfares to pedestrians.
The Herald Sun can reveal speed limits on Flinders Lane and Little Collins, Little Bourke, Little Lonsdale streets will officially be reduced from their current speeds of 40km/h over the next month.
Tree planters will be installed and the roads repainted with new safety messages to explain new rules giving pedestrians the right of way ahead of cars.
The changes are part of the City of Melbourne’s push to create more room for those walking through the city and drive traffic away from the narrow streets into main thoroughfares.
Cars and trucks will still be able to access the streets at low speeds with a focus on keeping them open mostly for deliveries, transport for disabled Victorians and emergency services vehicles.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the changes would also bring a safety benefit as the council searches for ways to bring shoppers and workers back to the CBD.
She said people travelling on foot would be prioritised over motorists and cyclists in these areas.
“This initiative forms part of our plans for reactivating our city when restrictions ease,” Ms Capp said.
“To help our CBD businesses, we need to provide more space for people so they can confidently physically distance while moving around the city.
“Many of our footpaths are less than two metres wide, so there’s not enough space for people to pass each other safely while maintaining physical distance.
“The changes will ease footpath congestion as people safely return to the city.”
It comes after Premier Daniel Andrews and Ms Capp met on Friday and agreed to set up a joint recovery plan for the CBD, with the region reporting some of the worst economic losses in Australia during the pandemic.
Ms Capp said businesses were struggling and new initiatives were needed.
“This is the first step in a broader program of works to create more space for shoppers, diners and pedestrians, and use art and activities to bring vitality back to our streets and laneways.”
Transport portfolio chair Nicolas Frances Gilley said the move would help cut down on pedestrian injuries and deaths.
“This has worked well in Little Collins Street, which for years has been closed to traffic between Swanston and Elizabeth streets at lunchtime to make it safer and more enjoyable for pedestrians,” he said.