Clearways could be solution to soften blow of losing parking to new bike lanes

Controversial new bike lanes pitched in Hobart’s CBD have reignited the debate between access to businesses and bike safety. Here’s a proposal seeking to strike a ‘middle ground’.

Alderman Louise Bloomfield, Tim Jarvis owner of Fullers Bookshop, Councillor John Kelly who are hoping for a compromise with the proposed bike lanes in Collins Street. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

A Hobart councillor has come up with a “win-win solution” to the controversy over more bike lanes in the city suggesting they become clearways outside peak hour.

But others have rejected the clearway suggestion saying they would be unsafe for cyclists.

John Kelly said video he had taken showed fewer than 150 cyclists used Collins St before 10am and a clearway would allow people to park outside peak hours to shop, dine and go to the gym or cinema.

“Businesses have been trading in Collins Street for over 200 years and there has always been the opportunity for customers to park kerbside and shop,” he said.

“To remove the 59 spaces between Molle and Harrington Streets could be the final blow to the already struggling traders especially heading into a depressed economy.

“They are used successfully in mainland states and around the world with bike clearways sharing the kerbside parking with cars - exactly how the car parking clearways have worked for decades in Hobart.

“By sharing the space it’s a real win-win situation.

“No elite suburb (South Hobart) should take possession 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the exclusive use of a small amount of bike riders.”

Proposed bike lanes to be installed in Collins Street Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

However, Councillor Ryan Posselt, chair of the city mobility committee, said clearways did not offer the protection of a protected cycleway and was no improvement for cyclists over existing infrastructure.

“Clearways will not encourage more people to ride, which is a key aim of this project,” he said.

“Encouraging more people to ride, means less cars in the city, less congestion and more parking availability for those who’ve need it.

“Protected cycleways have been shown to increase the number of people who choose to leave the car at home and take the bike instead. They increase ridership in particular among women and older cohorts.”

Mr Posselt said businesses did more trade with protected cycleways.

“South Hobart has the highest cycling commuting community in Tasmania and I believe protected cycleways on Collins street will further enhance this participation directly removing cars from our busiest road, Macquarie Street, at all times of the day.”

Ald Louise Bloomfield, who uses an e-scooter, supported Mr Kelly’s clearways.

“We’re not anti-bikes, we’re trying to find the middle ground,” she said.

Proposed bike lanes to be installed in Collins Street Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Alison Hetherington of Bicycle Network Tasmania said a clearway would not provide extra protection for cyclists.

“Putting in the separated cycleways is getting all those people who would like to ride but feel very nervous about riding in traffic, to give them that confidence that they’re not going to be sideswiped by a car,” she said.

“On the face of it, John’s idea would make sense to him, as a road safety initiative it doesn’t really meet the bar.”

Fullers Bookshop owner Tim Jarvis said he had “mixed feelings” about the bike lanes but on the face of it Mr Kelly’s clearway proposal “seems like a good compromise to me”.

“I like the idea of a bike-friendly CBD, but I’m very concerned about the loss of parking,” he said.

“We have a lot of older or mobility-limited customers, who really value being able to park close by.”

Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the council-approved design for the bike lanes was “deemed the safest and most effective option, but all the feedback we are getting is being given serious consideration”.

“Our staff are talking to businesses and community members and we’ll look into all the issues and ideas being raised,” she said.

Ms Reynolds said council would review the advice on all the various options for the bicycle lanes and street upgrade on Collins Street, including the idea of a clearway, at its meeting on July 22.