Pop-up bike lane trial in the City of Port Phillip to be wound back

Members of the community who vigorously opposed the expansion of inner-city bike lanes are calling the rollback “a victory for common sense”.

A controversial bike lane program in the inner city will be rolled back after a storm of protest from local residents.

The state government has proposed significant changes to its pop-up bike lane trial in the City of Port Phillip that was strongly criticised for “desecration” of roads.

Many residents of suburbs including Port Melbourne and St Kilda are furious over the installation of speed humps, bollards, concrete blocks and yellow markings on local streets for the program.

Department of Transport executive director inner, Alan Fedda, said several changes were being proposed based on a high level of community feedback, and the department’s ongoing evaluation process.

“The changes we are proposing will help to strike a balance between community needs, and improving bike rider safety in the City of Port Phillip,” he said.

The state government has proposed significant changes to its pop-up bike lane trial. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Among the changes, the trial will end in Port Melbourne at the intersection of Bridge St at Williamstown Rd, with the northbound left turn lane onto Williamstown Rd reinstated.

Also ending is the trial at Bridge St and Evans St to Princes St, with the removal of central bike lanes and reinstatement of the original road condition.

The Bridge St at Bay St trial will also go, with the southbound left turn lane onto Bay St brought back.

The trials at Nelson St, Port Melbourne, and Armstrong St, Middle Park, will end.

Concrete blocks and bollards will be removed in Port Melbourne at Lyons St and Bridge St to Esplanade West.

Pending endorsement from Port Phillip Council, the changes will be made in coming months.

The department has held regular meetings with the council throughout the project, and is working in partnership on the pop-up bike routes.

Merging bike lanes at Bridge and Evans streets in Port Melbourne. Picture: David Caird

Port Phillip councillor Andrew Bond, who has led a strong campaign against many of the bike lanes, said the proposed changes were a good first step.

“This is a victory for common sense,” he said.

“But there are many other areas in our municipality, aside from these ones, that are also of concern to our residents,” he said

“I look forward to these being addressed in the near future.”

Mr Bond said examples were Marine Pde and York St, St Kilda, York St, and Park Rd in Middle Park.

“Many residents have also contacted me with concerns about Westbury St, St Kilda West.

A council meeting in July was inundated with complaints from Port Phillip residents who said the bike lanes were ill-considered, unsafe and a blight on bayside suburbs.

The program is part of a wider scheme by the government to roll out lanes in inner municipalities.

Community engagement by the department includes letter drops, on-street signage, doorknocks, phone calls are social media promotion.