Bicycle Network Victoria: Better Transport
Rally report December 2008
Bike riders have found allies in the newly elected Melbourne City Council. At the rally last Wednesday Councillors stood shoulder with riders on bikes that ranged from the most to the least fashionable.
At 5.30pm we ‘rang in’ the new Council as the Councillors went in to their first meeting.
Peter Clarke from the Council spoke to the assembled riders reinforced by Jeremy Rawlins husband of Caroline Rawlins who was killed in a collision with a coach in September. The Rawlins family deserves a lot of respect for their commitment to the cause of Swanston Street which they have pursued with vigour through their mourning.
CEO of Bicycle Network Victoria Harry Barber summarised the achievements of the last Council including the Copenhagen Street lanes in Swanston Street, the upgrade of Queensberry Street and the removal of car parks for an on road bike park in Lygon Street. Two more projects will emerge from commitments made by the last Council; the Manningham Bridge and Albert Street.
Challenges for the new Council include separated kerbside bike lanes on LaTrobe and William Streets, extending the car free section of Swanston Street up past RMIT and providing more space for riders over Princes Bridge.
From Bicycle Network Victoria’s point of view the election of a Lord Mayor with anti Swanston platform shows that you can never take the future for granted. We are however determined that Swanston Street can be improved for riders and will work with our new allies on the Council to achieve this.