Melbourne City Council to crackdown on delivery bikes amid rising congestion on footpaths

They’re taking over footpaths across Melbourne, creating hazards for pedestrians in the CBD. Could council’s plan to treat delivery bikes like motorcycles actually work?

Melbourne City Council is cracking down on delivery bikes. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Food delivery and courier bikes that take up precious room on congested CBD footpaths face a crackdown by the City of Melbourne.

Council officers have started moving bikes that obstruct or pose hazards for pedestrians, and the council will consider on-street parking bays like motorcycles have.

It will also look at reducing the number of delivery bikes given that nearly one million people come into the city every day.

Pedestrians have complained of delivery bikes cluttering CBD footpaths. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Victoria Walks executive officer Dr Ben Rossiter said the growing problem was a major challenge for the inner city.

“We have an issue with overcrowded footpaths and pedestrian congestion which the bikes are contributing to,” he said.

“We need better policing of food delivery bikes because they are posing a hazard to pedestrians by riding on footpaths throughout the CBD.”

Dr Rossiter said that with 89 per cent of trips within the Hoddle Grid taken on foot, more had to be done to create extra space for walkers.

Deputy Lord Mayor Arron Wood said the council didn’t want to discourage bike delivery because it was a sustainable form of local freight.

“But we do have to balance the needs of all people in managing public space, and the council has the power to deal with obstructions and hazards on the footpaths” he said.

Deputy Lord Mayor Arron Wood. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Cr Wood said that following complaints, officers had asked a pizza delivery firm to move its bikes so they weren’t being a nuisance to pedestrians.

“Bicycles parked incorrectly, like other footpath obstructions or hazards, can be shifted or removed by council officers under our normal processes,” he said.

“Officers are discussing a few options which may include reducing the number of delivery bikes, adjusting their placement or moving the location of the bikes to a laneway at the rear of the premises.”

“Longer-term we may need to investigate on-street bike delivery parking bays similar to what will happen for motorcycle parking in the draft transport strategy.”

It is not illegal to park a bicycle on the footpath under road safety rules.

Under the council’s new 10-year transport plan, CBD motorists face a 30km/h limit, reduction of car lanes and more expensive on-street parking in peak times.

Pedestrians and bicycles will be given priority with more space allocated to footpaths and bike lanes.

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