Don’t risk our safety in 2025 - tell Yarra Council not to remove safe cycling lanes

UPDATE 12 APRIL 2025: Yarra deserves better - read about the Yarra Council 8 April 2025 meeting where after almost two and a half hours of public submissions, the Mayor introduced an amended motion on the Elizabeth Street that no one, other than his own circle, had seen beforehand.

Without prior notice, a decision on Coppin Street was deferred to next Yarra Council meeting on 8 May 2025

 

1. Bicycle Network: Yarra City flubs Elizabeth St vote: In a shambolic meeting on Tuesday 8 April, a majority of Yarra City councillors rejected the officers’ recommendation for 2.1m wide bike lanes on Elizabeth Street.

   Mayor Jolly dismissed the officers’ designs in favour of alternative concepts that may have been grudgingly acceptable 20 years ago but do not follow contemporary design or safety guidance.

 

• Send an email to the Yarra CEO, Minister for Local Government and/or Local Government Inspectorate: tell them councillor conduct at Yarra Council’s 8 April 2025 meeting was unacceptable. The more specific the better, and the more likely it will receive a response!

 

• Over 1100 people signed our petition ‘Don’t risk our safety in 2025 – tell Yarra Council not to remove safe cycling lanes’ read what people said from Richmond, Collingwood and Carlton, Abbotsford, Cremorne, Fitzroy + Fitzroy North, Melbourne CBD, Parkville, Brunswick + Brunswick East, Hawthorn, Kew and inner east suburbs

 

• Read about Elizabeth Street Protected Bike Lanes: A history

For over two decades, Yarra has been one of Melbourne’s best areas to walk and ride, and we know lots of people love living here because of the opportunity to walk or cycle to work, school, or home. But our safe, well-used protected bike lanes are at risk.

Chúng tôi đang hướng tới một thành phố mà ta có thể dễ sống hơn và dễ đi bộ hơn

Đừng mạo hiểm sự an toàn của chúng ta trong năm 2025

Hãy yêu cầu Yarra Council dừng lại việc loại bỏ và thu hẹp làn đường dành cho xe đạp để chúng ta có thể được an toàn và an tâm hơn khi chạy xe đạp trên đường phố.

This petition has been created by Yarra Bicycle Users Group, you can read more background at: Yarra for safe streets: Join our campaign + take action 

Read about Elizabeth Street Protected Bike Lanes: A history

 

I am adding my name to this petition to request that the City of Yarra councillors:

 

• Cr Evangeline Aston, Langridge Ward
• Cr Meca Ho, Melba Ward
• Cr Kenneth Gomez, Nicholls Ward
• Cr Sophie Wade, Hoddle Ward
• Cr Andrew Davies, Lennox Ward
• Cr Sarah McKenzie, Yarra Bend Ward
• Cr Sharon Harrison, Boulevard Ward 
• Mayor Cr Stephen Jolly, MacKillop Ward
• Cr Edward Crossland, Curtain Ward

 

1. Retain the existing safe protected bike lanes in Elizabeth Street, Richmond until they can be upgraded with permanent infrastructure which meets all contemporary standards and guidelines for a Strategic Cycling Corridor.

 

2. Retain the pop-up protected intersection treatments in Coppin Street, Richmond while the corridor study is being completed, and then implement a safe, permanent solution for this street as part of Yarra’s New Deal for Cycling Network.

 

3. Continue to implement Yarra’s Transport Action Plan 2024-2034 including the New Deal for Schools, New Deal for Cycling, New Deal for Walking and other specified programs to meet the ambitious targets in Yarra's Transport Strategy 2022-32. 

 

Please add your name to show you don’t support the removal of any existing, or planned protected bike paths in Yarra: and that we want a more liveable, walkable city.

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We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people as the Traditional Owners and true sovereigns of the land now known as Yarra. We also acknowledge the significant contributions made by other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to life in Yarra. We pay our respects to Elders from all nations - and to their Elders past, present and future.