Fixing bottlenecks across the City of Melbourne to free up traffic flow, investing in reducing blackspots to keep cyclists safe, will be the focus of Nick Reece if he is re-elected as Lord Mayor.
We know that Melbourne has seen significant shifts in transportation preferences in recent years. More Victorians are driving into the city, while there has also been an increase in city workers commuting by bike.
It just makes sense to fix the bottlenecks in the road network where the current interface between bike and vehicle lanes are not working well, increasing travel times and adding to frustration for traders and residents alike.
We don’t need a review panel to tell us that the entry into the city from CityLink to Exhibition Street is not working. That’s why we will reinstate two inbound traffic lanes on Exhibition Street into the city.
We will also fix other bottlenecks in the current bike network, including redesigning Queensbridge Street S-bend over the river near Crown Casino; the south bound lane in William Street at the intersection of William and La Trobe Street. Funding of $5 million will be set aside to support this work.
A council led by Nick Reece will get expert advice on transport matters, but the Council will remain the ultimate transport policy decision makers.
While protected bike lanes will remain a permanent part of our road network, it’s important that we keep reducing blackspots for cyclists. Eleven cyclists died last year on Melbourne roads last year – that is eleven people too many. So we will do more to stop these tragedies by investing to improve cyclist safety in identified black spot areas.
Lord Mayor Nick Reece will maintain investment in bike lanes over the next four years at the same level as the previous term of council. This funding will be focused outside the Hoddle Grid, helping more cyclists who start their journey in the nine neighbourhoods of Melbourne outside the CBD, and providing more options when it comes to commuting into the city.
To complement these investments, a comprehensive review of Melbourne’s inner-city transport infrastructure will be undertaken aimed at delivering a safer, more efficient, and more effective transport system for businesses, residents, and visitors.
To support the review, the following initiatives would also be implemented:
- Traffic Sensor Network: Installation of a comprehensive network of traffic sensors around the city to collect non-identifiable data on the usage of cars, bikes, e-scooters, and pedestrian pathways.
- Transport Data Portal: Launch of a public Transport Data Portal where Melburnians can access real-time data on the usage of various transport infrastructure, including car lanes, bike lanes, and footpaths.
- ‘Half-Time Review’ of Transport Strategy 2030: In 2025 the Council will undertake a thorough review of the Council’s ten-year Transport Strategy 2030 to consider whether updates are needed to better reflect how people are moving around the city.
Quotes attributable to Lord Mayor Nick Reece:
“I am a motorist, I am a cyclist, I love catching the tram - I want a transport system that works for everyone, and I think we can achieve that.”
“I want to improve our transport system so it is less congested and safe for all road users - by focusing on bottlenecks and blackspots we can help everyone get around our city easier and safer.”
“I will always seek expert advice when it comes to big decisions, but I will remain the decision maker. That’s why I’m running, to make the hard decisions for Melbourne in a commonsense way.”
“There are key areas around Melbourne that can be improved to help cars, vans, and tradies get into and out of the CBD quicker, while investing in blackspots can help reduce the number of tragedies for cyclists on our roads.”
“As we look to improve our transport infrastructure, it’s time we based our decisions on precise, up-to-date data. By using new technology and analytics, we can ensure that our infrastructure investments are made where they are needed most and are focused to benefit all Melburnians.”
