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Bold plan to remove car lanes to make way for cyclists


A bold new plan to remove some car lanes from a major Melbourne road has been unveiled by the Labor Party to make way for cyclists.

Under the plan bikes will be allocated protected middle lanes on St Kilda Road all the way from the city to St Kilda in Melbourne’s southeast.

Cars will be banned from the middle lanes on four kilometres of the road from the National Gallery to St Kilda Junction.

Labor has promised $27 million for a super bike lane to keep cyclists and motorists apart.

Victorian Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said a hard barrier to separate the two would create a safer environment.

Labor plans to remove two car lanes on St Kilda Road in Melbourne. Source: 7 News
Labor plans to remove two car lanes on St Kilda Road in Melbourne. Source: 7 News

Labor wants the dedicated, middle of the road bike lane complete with green separation areas next to the tram line.

Cars will have three lanes next to the footpath and nature strip, losing the two middle lanes.

For vehicles to turn right off St Kilda Road, they’ll have to merge to the right-hand lane and enter turning slip ways near intersections.

Victorian Labor MP Martin Foley said the middle lane was the most sensible and practical option.

The proposed bike lanes will be similar to those in Copenhagen. Source: 7 News
The proposed bike lanes will be similar to those in Copenhagen. Source: 7 News

Cyclist Manon Jenkins also hoped it would encourage more people to ride bikes.

Labor is planning Copenhagen-style bike paths between St Kilda Junction and St Kilda Town Hall, between the footpath and a line of parked cars.

“It just means that you can kinda take it at your own pace and not have cars come around you,” Cyclist Ben White said.

More than 300,000 people use St Kilda Road everyday and it’s Melbourne’s busiest route for trams and cycling. It’s also one of the most dangerous. St Kilda Road accounts for 16 per cent of the city’s accidents caused by car doors hitting cyclists.

“As someone who has three bikes and lives on St Kilda Road I’m very much looking forward to using this lane,” Labor candidate Neil Pharaoh said.

The RACV supports the super bike lane plan.