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".. roadway first, not a bloody bike track"



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 27th 07, 07:02 AM posted to aus.bicycle
cfsmtb[_285_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default ".. roadway first, not a bloody bike track"


Nice inclusive quote in the article by a minion from Shopping Spree
Tours;

"Swanston St was originally and always should be a roadway first, not a
bloody bike track," the spokesman said.

As a former innercity resident who endured the delights of Bus Season
I've got some fighting words for you too mate. Including, Swanston may
well be a roadway, but it's not a fkng loading bay.


***

City bus ban to favour bikes
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...3-2862,00.html
June 27, 2007 12:00am

TOUR buses would be removed from Swanston St under a council plan to
help make the CBD thoroughfare safer for cyclists. New bus stops would
be built on Bourke St when the Southern Cross development is completed
in two years' time. The council has encouraged people to ride into the
city and Swanston St has become a popular cycling route.

A survey this year found an average of 2585 cyclists a day used the
street. But the coaches parked between Lonsdale and Bourke streets have
made the journey dangerous.

The Melbourne City Council called for public discussion over options to
move the bus stops. Alternatives were for Lonsdale St between Russell
and Swanston streets, and St Kilda Rd near Alexandra Gardens.

The council received 56 written submissions. Most cyclists and city
residents backed Swanston St being bus-free. But tour operators and bus
companies wanted the stops to stay.

A spokesman for Shopping Spree Tours described any plan to move the
stops as irresponsible. "Swanston St was originally and always should
be a roadway first, not a bloody bike track," the spokesman said.

Councillors will consider the proposals at a planning committee meeting
on Tuesday.


--
cfsmtb

Ads
  #2  
Old June 27th 07, 07:49 AM posted to aus.bicycle
PiledHigher
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Posts: 281
Default ".. roadway first, not a bloody bike track"

On Jun 27, 4:02 pm, cfsmtb cfsmtb.2st...@no-
mx.forums.cyclingforums.com wrote:
Nice inclusive quote in the article by a minion from Shopping Spree
Tours;

"Swanston St was originally and always should be a roadway first, not a
bloody bike track," the spokesman said.

As a former innercity resident who endured the delights of Bus Season
I've got some fighting words for you too mate. Including, Swanston may
well be a roadway, but it's not a fkng loading bay.

***

City bus ban to favour bikeshttp://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21972863-2862,00.html
June 27, 2007 12:00am

TOUR buses would be removed from Swanston St under a council plan to
help make the CBD thoroughfare safer for cyclists. New bus stops would
be built on Bourke St when the Southern Cross development is completed
in two years' time. The council has encouraged people to ride into the
city and Swanston St has become a popular cycling route.

A survey this year found an average of 2585 cyclists a day used the
street. But the coaches parked between Lonsdale and Bourke streets have
made the journey dangerous.

The Melbourne City Council called for public discussion over options to
move the bus stops. Alternatives were for Lonsdale St between Russell
and Swanston streets, and St Kilda Rd near Alexandra Gardens.

The council received 56 written submissions. Most cyclists and city
residents backed Swanston St being bus-free. But tour operators and bus
companies wanted the stops to stay.

A spokesman for Shopping Spree Tours described any plan to move the
stops as irresponsible. "Swanston St was originally and always should
be a roadway first, not a bloody bike track," the spokesman said.

Councillors will consider the proposals at a planning committee meeting
on Tuesday.

--
cfsmtb


In case you neede to talk to Shelly

Contact Details
PH: +61 3 9596 6600
E:





  #3  
Old June 29th 07, 02:43 AM posted to aus.bicycle
cfsmtb[_289_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default ".. roadway first, not a bloody bike track"


PiledHigher Wrote:


In case you neede to talk to Shelly

Contact Details
PH: +61 3 9596 6600
E:



Or if you'd like to contact MCC and inform them of your admiration of
this initiative, free feel to drop them an encouraging note.

Contact MCC
http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=23&pg=3454

Tour bus relocation proposal
http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info...pa=731&pg=3625

Even though public comment closed a month ago, the respective staff at
MCC probably would mind receiving encouraging feedback.


--
cfsmtb

  #4  
Old June 30th 07, 04:20 AM posted to aus.bicycle
MoreBikesPlease
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Posts: 6
Default ".. roadway first, not a bloody bike track"

cfsmtb wrote in
:


A spokesman for Shopping Spree Tours described any plan to move the
stops as irresponsible. "Swanston St was originally and always should
be a roadway first, not a bloody bike track," the spokesman said.

Councillors will consider the proposals at a planning committee meeting
on Tuesday.


.... and as a roadway, it's been used by cyclists for longer than it has by
motor vehicles!
  #5  
Old July 1st 07, 04:45 AM posted to aus.bicycle
Peter Keller
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Posts: 802
Default ".. roadway first, not a bloody bike track"

On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 03:20:03 +0000, MoreBikesPlease wrote:

cfsmtb wrote in
:


A spokesman for Shopping Spree Tours described any plan to move the
stops as irresponsible. "Swanston St was originally and always should
be a roadway first, not a bloody bike track," the spokesman said.

Councillors will consider the proposals at a planning committee meeting
on Tuesday.


... and as a roadway, it's been used by cyclists for longer than it has
by motor vehicles!


These thoughts are from someone who lived briefly in Melbourne over 20
years ago.
Swanston Street then was basically a place where almost stationary lines
of cars spent hours not doing much. Even pedestians could use this
"roadway" much better and faster than cars.
Has it "improved"?

Peter

--
The Kiwi bird is very aptly New Zealand's national emblem.
It is a bird which cannot fly.
It only comes out at night.
It has nostrils at the end of its long beak, and
It is always poking its nose into things.
  #6  
Old July 1st 07, 08:01 AM posted to aus.bicycle
EuanB[_83_]
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Posts: 1
Default ".. roadway first, not a bloody bike track"


Peter Keller Wrote:
On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 03:20:03 +0000, MoreBikesPlease wrote:
These thoughts are from someone who lived briefly in Melbourne over 20
years ago.
Swanston Street then was basically a place where almost stationary
lines
of cars spent hours not doing much. Even pedestians could use this
"roadway" much better and faster than cars.
Has it "improved"?

The only vehicle traffic allowed on the stretch of Swanston Street I
ride on, between Flinder's Street and La Trobe, are bicycles, busses,
trams, cabs and vehicles engaged in delivering stuff to/from shops on
Swanston Street.

The result is a road which is comparatively lightly travelled by
motorised vehicles. Unforutnately this leads to complacency amongst
pedestrians, I believer that stretch of road has the dubious
distinction of having the most pedestrian collisions in Victoria, if
not Australia.

Bike wise it's fine provided you accept that you may have to stick
behind a tram rather than pass it on the left as parked trucks etc can
make that rather hazardous.


--
EuanB

  #7  
Old July 1st 07, 02:39 PM posted to aus.bicycle
cfsmtb[_296_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default ".. roadway first, not a bloody bike track"


Peter Keller Wrote:

These thoughts are from someone who lived briefly in Melbourne over 20
years ago.
Swanston Street then was basically a place where almost stationary
lines
of cars spent hours not doing much. Even pedestians could use this
"roadway" much better and faster than cars.
Has it "improved"?


How long is a piece of string?


The main CBD section of Swanston was closed off to motorised traffic in
the 90's, then partially re-opened to placate the local traders in '99.
IMHO the street has suffered badly from a lack of strong management
from respective Melb City Council administrations and conflicting
interests, but that's nothing unique in local politics. For all it's
current drawbacks, at the least the street is no longer a traffic sewer
for most of the day.

http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=53&pg=731

http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info...a=1752&pg=1786

Until the tour buses started breeding and creating issues for street
users, as if the errant peds, 'rumble strips' and the occassional horse
poo aren't bad enough. Further north up Swanston now has Copehagen
lanes:
http://www.bv.com.au/change-the-world/11629/


--
cfsmtb

  #8  
Old July 1st 07, 09:11 PM posted to aus.bicycle
Ray
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Posts: 50
Default ".. roadway first, not a bloody bike track"

In article ,
says...

Further north up Swanston now has Copehagen
lanes:
http://www.bv.com.au/change-the-world/11629/


Strewth.
Do I see what I think I see in the very first picture of that web page?

A keep left sign on the traffic island between the bike and motor lanes.

Does that mean the cars can legitimately swerve into the bike lane
because that's what the sign instructs them to do....

This is a rare case where a "keep right" would be far more appropriate!

Cheers, Ray

  #9  
Old July 1st 07, 11:36 PM posted to aus.bicycle
Michael Warner[_2_]
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Posts: 483
Default ".. roadway first, not a bloody bike track"

On Sun, 1 Jul 2007 17:01:49 +1000, EuanB wrote:

The only vehicle traffic allowed on the stretch of Swanston Street I
ride on, between Flinder's Street and La Trobe, are bicycles, busses,
trams, cabs and vehicles engaged in delivering stuff to/from shops on
Swanston Street.


I have to confess that when I drove to Melbourne some years ago,
I drove up Swanston St before realizing that it was strangely quiet, and
that I therefore probably wasn't supposed to.

No doubt there were signs telling me not to turn into it, but inner
Melbourne is so saturated with road signage (at least to my Adelaide
eyes) that I'm not surprised I missed them.

--
Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw
 




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