Shared paths: Bollards injure riders and stop wide vehicles
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Alternatives to bollards
Bicycle Victoria does not support the use of bollards or gates at the entrance to cycling paths.
We know of too many people who have been injured - sometimes seriously by these posts.
Bollards also stop people who ride recumbents or who have a child trailer from using the bike paths.
Guidelines
The national Austroads Guidelines - Part 14 Bicycles does not recommend the use of bollards in the centre of paths.
The Guidelines say that if you do install a bollard or want to keep an existing bollard it needs to be among other things high, wide, painted in a contrasting colour, wrapped in reflective tape, illuminated correctly, leave 1.4m clearance minimum, be preceeded by tactile marking and a painted line.
The Guidelines say that if it is shown that motor vehicles are using the trail, there are other ways to stop them. It says that bollards should not in general be put in at intersections.
Report dangerous bollards
We encourage riders to dob in a bollard to their local council, preferably with a photo and Melway reference with a copy to us. See link (right) for 'Get it fixed'.
We have in a number of cases provided supporting evidence for legal representatives of riders who are pursuing damages for injuries sustained from hitting bollards.
See document (right) which provides examples of path end treatments and offers alternatives to bollards.
The bollards pictured below are acceptable.
The bollard below is likely to cause an injury.
