The decision to remove the bike lanes resulted from safety concerns raised in an independent report by the Traffix Group, a leading traffic engineering consultancy who provide services to the DOT and Port Phillip Council.  

Traffix Group concluded “the vast majority of the pop-up bike lane infrastructure either offers limited benefit for cyclists or results in an increased risk to road users including both motorists and cyclists”.  

According to the Traffix report, the installed road treatments including concrete blocks, bollards and yellow and green lines and symbols are confusing for both motorists and cyclists and has increased conflict between bikes and cars. The road treatments exacerbate traffic congestion and will inevitably lead to more cycling accidents and injuries.

Jan Talacko and Mark Naughton who are active cyclists spoke in support of Cr Christina Sirakoff’s motion and confirmed they had commissioned the report because of safety concerns for cyclists. Twelve residents other cyclists and residents spoke in support of the motion to remove more of the pop-up bike lanes. 

Julie Clutterbuck who represents a Council funded cycling lobby group spoke to Council in support of continuing the pop-up bike lane trial.  Responding to Ms Clutterbuck who claimed that Traffix report was not independent and was commissioned by an advocacy group, Jan Talacko, a St Kilda resident said, “I am one of the people who commissioned the Traffix report, and I am not a member of ROPP (Residents of Port Phillip) and ROPP did not commission the report. We should think very seriously about continuing the trial to gather more data. The sort of data that would be collected I presume would be injuries or deaths. The overwhelming view in the community is this program has been a fiasco, there was no consultation . The design of these structures was inappropriate and misconceived.” 

Three speakers raised concerns about the safety of the temporary bicycle infrastructure located in Westbury Street, St Kilda East and advocated for the removal of these pop-up bike lane treatments. Una Steele, a cyclist from Westbury Street said “I am a keen cyclist and supportive of designated bike lanes. However, they have to be the right bike lanes and safe bike lanes. These lanes installed without community consultation are neither”. 

Cameron Smith, a South Melbourne resident noted that four Victorian election candidates for the seat of Albert Park committed to removing all or some of the Pop-Up Bike Lanes at a community forum on 10 November 2022 or later in social media posts.

The motion states that the CEO writes to the DOT to request that they immediately implement the recommendations in the Traffix report with regards to the removal of the Pop-Up Bike Lane treatments including all speed humps, bollards, concrete blocks, and yellow lines at those locations and also in Westbury Street, St Kilda East and the intersection of Brighton Rd with Dickens Street. Specifically, Council requests DoT to remove the following treatments:

• Marine Parade Kerb Separated Bicycle Lanes in consultation with Council
• Marine Parade/intersection with Wordsworth Street, Thackeray Street, Meredith 
• Street, Marine Ave. 
• Richardson Street/Withers Street
• Deakin Street/Loch Street/York Street
• Lyons Street/Bridge Street/Esplanade West
• McGregor Street/Park Road & Page Street
• Reinstate Brighton Road and Dickens Street intersection similar to neighbouring 
• roads at Hennessy Ave and Milton Street

This motion follows a Council vote on 7 September to endorse the roll back 4km of the 38 km of installed Pop-up bike infrastructure.