Metro tunnel forces rethink of pedestrian crossing at Flinders and Swantson streets

THE CBD’s busiest intersection, at Flinders and Swanston streets, could get a pedestrian-friendly makeover under changes forced by the Metro Rail tunnel project.

The intersection of Swanston and Flinders streets; and (inset) the proposed crossing.

THE CBD’s busiest intersection, at Flinders and Swanston streets, could get a pedestrian-friendly makeover under changes forced by the Metro Rail tunnel project.

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Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has revealed one option Melbourne city council is considering is the introduction of a traffic light sequence in which pedestrians can cross the whole of the intersection from different directions.

He said this would enable people to “walk to any diagonal, or across, or whatever, just like occurs now at the corner of Elizabeth and Flinders streets”.

Cr Doyle said the concept, known as a Barnes Walk, was popular in many cities, but the movement of trams could pose a challenge.

The intersection between Flinders and Swanston streets is the busiest in the city. Picture: David Crosling

Another idea is to move the Flinders St tram stop near Swanston St further down towards Elizabeth St.

“You’d move the tram stop back further, and that gives you the chance to move more pedestrians across Flinders St to the station,” Cr Doyle said.

“There are so many people waiting to cross, and they are all on that Young & Jackson side,” he said.

Cr Doyle said more pedestrians now used Swanston St than used Regent St in London, and so the creation of the new metro train stations at Federation Square and the City Square meant action would be needed.

“What has served us well since 1837 probably needs a rethink now because of pedestrians,” he said.

RACV public policy manager Brian Negus said a Barnes Walk treatment at the Swanston-Flinders intersection wouldn’t work because of the extent of vehicle traffic.

A Barnes Walk is already in effect between Flinders and Elizabeth streets. Picture: Alex Coppel

“From a pedestrian point of view, it would be really good,” Mr Negus said.

“But I suspect it would complicate the operations of the intersection from a traffic perspective, and also a bicycle perspective,” he said.

“It’s not a one size fits all,” Mr Negus said.

“It (a Barnes Walk) does work well at a T-junction, which is a very different situation to what you’re faced with at a cross intersection with significant turning traffic,” he said.

Mr Negus urged the city council to extend its plan to close part of Elizabeth St to vehicle traffic.

This would allow the creation of a continuous horseshoe-shaped pedestrian mall linking Swanston Street, the Bourke St Mall, and Elizabeth Street.

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