Make Melbourne Green

Swanston Street is an inconsistent mess. When it comes to traffic in Melbourne CBD, we need to move people without petrol. The time has come to actively prioritise bike, public transport and foot traffic. And that means limiting car and tourist bus access.

If elected in November, The Greens will do three things:

1. Immediately implement Associate Professor Nicholas Low’s recommendations for Swanston Street, namely:

i. Create a diagonal pedestrian crossing on the corner of Flinders & Swanston Sts.

ii. Give trams along Swanston Street priority at all intersections.

iii. Ban taxis and tour buses from Swanston Street, and restrict non-essential service vehicles to night and early morning. (Exceptions will be allowed for vehicle access for elderly or disabled passengers, and for taxis after dark.)

iv. Create designated bike lanes the length of Swanston Street.

2. Create 4 tourist bus pick up/ drop off points at north, south, east and west points within the city.

We’ve spoken to tourist bus drivers. In fact, we have one on our council ticket. They don’t want to be in the city centre jousting for space with pedestrians and bikes.*

3. Within the first 3 months of taking office, invite community consultation on broader reforms for traffic in the city centre, including:

i. Turning Swanston Street into a pedestrian centred space by replacing the bitumen with bluestone from La Trobe to Flinders Street, also thereby encouraging more street level retail/café style activity.

ii. Creating designated north-south (e.g. Elizabeth Street) and east-west (e.g. Little Lonsdale Street) car-free streets. Bikes would be encouraged to use these streets.

iii. Creating a car free, pedestrian and tram friendly open space on Elizabeth St between Flinders Lane and Flinders Street.

Current Greens councillor, Fraser Brindley, has been pushing for years for a new approach to Swanston Street, one that separates bikes from buses.

The Age calls it ‘an ambitious plan’. We just think it’s time to turn the CBD into one of the greenest and most attractive places in Melbourne. We’re basing our plan on expert recommendations, but if you think that the plan needs tweaks or modifications, we’ll listen: give us your comments and we’ll take them on board.

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Finally, our hearts go out to the cyclist who was tragically killed in Swanston Street recently. You won’t be forgotten.

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*Since the release of the above statement, Melbourne City Council has voted to approach Federation Square with a business plan to relocate large tourist buses to the Russell Street extension behind Federation Square. The Greens strongly support this move, and elected Greens will vote for a bus pick-up / drop-off zone on the SAFEST CBD street should any move to Federation Square be unsuccessful. For smaller tourist buses, The Greens remain committed to ensuring that the safest pick-up / drop-off arrangements are in place.

For The Greens’ full Transport Policy for Melbourne City Council, click here.