Following a massive community backlash, Port Phillip Council voted on Wednesday 7 September to endorse an amended Department of Transport proposal to roll back 4km of the 38 km of recently installed Pop-up bike infrastructure.  Cr Andrew Bond made several amendments to ensure that Councillors were given the opportunity to review alternative designs that may necessitate the removal of car parking in Bridge Street, Port Melbourne  and Westbury Street, St Kilda East. 

 The roll back includes 

• End the trial on Nelson Road in South Melbourne and reinstate to the original road condition
• Reinstate the left turn traffic lane into Williamstown Road from Bridge Street in Port Melbourne
• End the trial of the central bike lanes at Bridge Street and reinstate the original Road condition and explore alternate safe bike lane designs and request that any concepts requiring the removal of on-street parking spaces would be brought to Councillors for community consultation to be undertaken prior to any implementations
• End trial and reinstate the left turn traffic lane at the intersection of Bridge and Bay Street
• Improve visual amenity at Lyons Street, between Bridge Street and Esplanade West, with a focus on kerb and bollard removal
• Improve visual amenity at the intersection of Dickens Street and Glen Huntley Road on Marine Parade
• End the trial on Armstrong Street in Middle Park and reinstate to the original road condition
• Continue to monitor the current trial treatments on Westbury Street, St Kilda East, and to explore alternative designs, and request that any concepts requiring the removal of on-street parking spaces would be brought to Councillors for community consultation to be undertaken prior to any implementation.

Several Councillors voted against the proposed changes, claiming that the roll backs are unsafe for cyclists. Other Councillors supporting the motion said they were compelled to listen to residents who said the new infrastructure caused safety problems for cyclists. 

Cr Andrew Bond who made several amendments to the motion stated “This is a very good start to undoing the bike lane mess, and a victory for common sense in our city. Thanks go to all the residents and cyclists who contacted me to express their concerns with what was installed. Keep advocating for the areas near you that still need to be removed or changed. The State Government is listening and should be congratulated for doing so”.

Cameron Smith, a South Melbourne resident said, “Whilst the DOT proposal is a positive start, we need to continue to influence the Victorian government and Council to remove or modify the other 34 Km of these dangerous and unnecessary road treatments because they will remain unchanged until to end of the trial in late 2023”.

A resident Adam Blandford, a regular bicycle rider “is very concerned about the safety of cyclists in Westbury Street and is disappointed that DOT have not proposed to reinstate the original road”.  DOT propose to monitor the Pop-up bike treatment in Westbury Street and work with COPP to explore alternative treatments.