Is Melbourne footpath parking at risk?
The Melbourne Lord Mayor may have hinted at a ban for motorcycles as a new transport strategy reaches a draft stageCiting footpath congestion as a major issue in the Melbourne CBD, Lord Mayor Sally Capp has hinted that off-street motorcycle parking – the only capital city in Australia that allows the practice – may be on the cusp of being banned.
Speaking on radio station 3AW, Cr Capp said footpath congestion was one of the key issues to address in a revamp of the Melbourne City Council’s transport strategy – with motorcycles at the forefront of the discussion.
Cr Capp stopped short of saying that motorcycle footpath parking will be banned in the Melbourne CBD – it’s still a legal practice – but then added that motorcyclists may soon have more on-street parking options.
Whether the extra on-street parking is in addition to or a planned replacement for footpath parking is now a point of conjecture.
“The biggest congestion issue in the CBD is on our footpaths. Eighty-nine per cent of the trips around the city are done by foot,” Cr Capp told 3AW. “As part of our preparation for a draft transport strategy, which will be considered by council in the months ahead, there’s been a lot of feedback about what’s happening on our footpaths.
“We did a survey, and the things that were identified as obstacles included bicycles, motorbikes and café furniture.
“Under the road rules you are allowed to park motorcycles on footpaths, but one of the ideas being put forward… is that if we provide more space for motorcycles to park they may choose to take that option.”
When asked if motorcycle parking was receiving preference over motor vehicles, Cr Capp continued: “We’ve got to balance things out, and it’s something that is be considered.
“We need to provide spaces for motorcyclists, and I’m sure all the riders out there would support us.”
Currently, there’s a massive shortfall in on-street motorcycle parking in the Melbourne CBD – over 1000 motorcycles are in the precinct every day with only about 300 designated spots – which is why footpath parking remains such a vital practice.
The draft transport strategy will be released in coming months. Click here for more information.
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
