Last week we heard about a private consortium’s idea to build a 2km raised veloway between Flinders Street and Spencer Street in Melbourne. You can watch a video stimulation here.
In its most recent budget, the Victorian government gave no new money to cycling. None. Can you believe that? Bicycle Victoria and the Victorian Bicycle User Groups are about to start a year-long campaign to restore the funding.
The Veloway would cost $21 million to join 2km between two stations, with no stop offs in between. That’s almost double Vicroads’ bike budget last financial year and over 20 times the $2.4 million the City of Melbourne is proposing to spend on a separated bike lane from Exhibition Street all the way to Docklands.
My concern is this: Melbourne’s bike network has missing gaps all over the place, particularly coming from the south into the city. There are already cyclists on the roads, often riding in very hostile conditions. If bike advocates get their act together about the slashing of the bike budget, the state government may see this flashy project as a way of easing the pressure and saying they are doing something for cyclists, without pissing off the car lobby. And they’ll do nothing about the problems on routes cyclists are already using!
I’m also worried that once built, the highway won’t really be used, and then it will be used as a further excuse to avoid investing in bike infrastructure, if the government ever needed one. It seems to only connect to the CBD at two points: Flinders Street and Spencer Street. But I think most cyclists go into the city, not past it. What if you want to stop off somewhere in between? Does it connect to Princes Bridge and St Kilda Road, Queensbridge St or Clarendon Street?
Bicycle Victoria are have been pushing for it. Spokesperson Garry Brennan said, ‘It gets them off the road. It removes a lot of bottlenecks, it removes a couple of ugly intersections, it’s much faster, much quicker, much more convenient.’
But I don’t want to be off the road! I want a piece of the road! Why is Bicycle Victoria advocating a super-expensive bike superhighway simply to avoid taking space away from cars in a CBD area, which should work towards minimising motor traffic so it can prioritise safe access by bikes and pedestrians at all points? It’s the kind of compromise that will end up losing us the battle.
The Victorian Government should be spending their money on completing a bike network for the whole city. In fact, it already has one – its Principal Bike Network, which has been under review since it was elected. By the way, the old Principal Bike Network showed an off-road path between along Flinders Street all the way from Hoddle Street to Spencer Street.
Do you really think it’ll ever get beyond that fancy graphic they showed on the TV news?
Although you’re right, WTF is Bicycle Vic supporting it for?
Bicycle Victoria is too fond of rolling over to have its tummy tickled. Bicycle helmets come to mind (Yes, I usually wear one).
I actually support this, as long as the $20 mil comes from the State & Fed infrastructure budgets and not from what VicRoads and councils should be spending on bike lanes. I’d use it everyday and I reckon it’d be one of Melbourne busiest routes.
What I don’t agree with however is this ‘gets bikes off the road’ argument. Just as freeways add to congestion on roads by encouraging more car use, the Veloway would get more people cycling and create greater demand for better on-road bike lanes which is a good thing.
Same argument for the mooted Chapel Street alternative route, it would be a good entry level route for beginners, but it will mean more not less cyclists will end up using Chapel St [http://boroondarabug.org/wiki/Sandringham_Trail]
It could be a great project. Melbourne needs an additional East-West Link and the Yarra is unable to provide it with the number of pedestrians and tourists. They freely spend this kind of money on road projects such as Kings Way, freeway overpasses why not provide a superhighway for bikes. If they can look to Spend $7Billion on a underground freeway from The Eastern to Citylink then why not spend some money on a $20M bike project.
There will be exits between the two stations. So people can hop on and off along the length.
Granted there are many missing links, but there is merit is grade seperating cyclists as the CBD area is area with the most conflict and intimidating conditions. I think that most cyclists can safely get to the CBD but there are very few bike facilities in the CBD and not enough bike routes!
And yes there should be more (or at least some) money spent on cycling. But this government is doing a very poor job so I wouldnt expect anything else!