Queens Avenue Bike Lanes
Let Council know you support safe bicycle infrastructure!
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Subject: Support Safe Bike Lanes on Queens Avenue
Dear [Councillor],
I am writing to express my concern about the Queens Avenue Cycling Corridor project.
Queens Ave has the potential to become a safe and popular bike link, similar to the Djerring Trail and the Frankston Rail Trail. I support Option 2 for its balance of retaining trees and building new safe bicycle infrastructure.
The officers' report recommending against both options is troubling, especially when it acknowledges the merits of each option. It seems like a short-sighted approach that lacks consideration for current and future generations.
Community feedback strongly supports bike lanes. The existing lanes are inadequate, denying 3 out of 4 Glen Eirans’ who are ‘interested but concerned’ about riding.
Recent Monash University research identifies six barriers to cycling, emphasising the importance of physical separation from motor vehicles, continuous infrastructure through intersections, slow speeds, secure bicycle parking, safe detours around roadworks, and a fully connected network of infrastructure.
Option 3 contradicts this research and the preferences of the majority. Queens Ave remains the most direct route, connecting with other existing and future routes in the north, east, and west.
Considering the financial constraints faced by the Council, it seems impractical to discard millions of dollars to preserve on-street parking. Neither the Council nor LXRP has conducted a comprehensive parking assessment, and the desktop assessment by Council officers suggests low parking utilisation.
Every house on Queens Ave has access to off-street parking, and it's essential to recognise that public spaces, such as streets, should cater to the broader community’s needs. There is no inherent right to street parking.
Increasing active transport is crucial for a sustainable future, and I strongly urge you to take a holistic and evidence-based approach to this issue. Please consider the wider community, both present and future, and vote for an option that prioritises safety and sustainability.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
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Camden Ward
Cr Simone Zmood (Deputy Mayor) 0466 469 776 SZmood@gleneira.vic.gov.au
Cr Sam Parasol 0466 372 822 SParasol@gleneira.vic.gov.au
Cr Jane Carslake 0403 249 841 JKarslake@gleneira.vic.gov.au
Rosstown Ward
Cr Margaret Esakoff 0407 831 893 MEsakoff@gleneira.vic.gov.au
Cr Tony Athanasopoulos 0466 372 816 TAthanasopoulos@gleneira.vic.gov.au
Cr Sue Pennicuik 0403 789 771 SPennicuik@gleneira.vic.gov.au
Tucker Ward
Cr Jim Magee 0427 338 327 JMagee@gleneira.vic.gov.au
Cr Anne-Marie Cade (Mayor) 0466 372 809 ACade@gleneira.vic.gov.au
Cr Li Zhang 0499 357 262 LZhang@gleneira.vic.gov.au
Project Overview:
As part of the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) in Glen Huntly, LXRP promised to deliver a safe cycling corridor along Queens Avenue in Caulfield. This is an important project, as it will add to the northern section of the Frankston Rail Trail, facilitating Council to complete a connection with the Djerring Trail (Caulfield to Dandenong) at a later date. The trail will also connect to Monash University, Caulfield East Village and provide students with safer access to Glen Eira College.
LXRP explored 5 options but found only 2 were feasible. Both options run along Queens Ave, which the Department of Transport and Planning have designated as a strategic cycling corridor.
Option 1 includes: an off-road shared user path (bikes & pedestrians) & the removal of 200+ trees.
Option 2 includes: an on-road bi-directional bike lane with a kerb barrier. Parking on the east side of the street will need to be removed as well as 20 trees. Option 2 is our preferred option as it balances the need for a protected bike path, without significant removal of trees.
The new safe cycling corridor will run to the Normanby Rd intersection, with Council to complete the final link at a later time.
We encourage you to share your support for option 2 with council. You can fill out their survey HERE.
Questions? Concerns? We have answers!
Why only these two options?
A total of 5 options were considered by LXRP. Only two options are currently under consideration. The options that were not considered feasible were realigning Queens Ave, a shared path on Leamington Cres and a shared path on Derby Cres. The main reason for these options not being chosen is the requirement to relocate utilities, and for the latter two, the need for property acquisition.
You can read more about the 5 options considered on the LXRP factsheet.
Can’t we just do nothing? Queens Ave already has bike lanes.
Doing nothing is the worst outcome. Last year was the deadliest year on Victorian roads, and we must take urgent action to turn this around. Ensuring the safety of all road users, including cyclists, is paramount.
Moreover, part of taking climate action involves shifting towards more sustainable modes of transport like biking. We know the biggest barrier to people riding is that they feel unsafe on unprotected bike lanes, like the ones that currently exist on Queens Ave.
Upgrading the bike lanes to be protected will not only enhance safety, but also encourage more people to choose biking as a sustainable and healthy mode of transportation. This project aligns with broader community goals of safety, sustainability, and creating inclusive streets for everyone.
Where will residents of Queens Ave park?
Every house on Queens Ave has access to off-street parking, in most cases this includes both a driveway and a garage. Some of these houses have access from side streets or laneways, such as those north of Epsom Street.
We recognise the concerns about parking for residents on Queens Ave. It's important to note that while residents often use on-street parking, streets are public spaces meant for various community needs. There isn't an inherent "right" to street parking, but we understand its significance for daily convenience.
We believe that creating a well-designed and inclusive street benefits everyone, contributing to a safer, healthier, and more vibrant neighbourhood.
Where will emergency services & delivery drivers park?
Emergency services are exempt from no standing zones under the Victorian road rules in “reasonable” circumstances. This means that if parking is not available for emergency services in a driveway or nearby side street, it is reasonable for them to stop in the offset lane and partially block the traffic lane.
Delivery drivers would be required to use driveways or park in side streets. This is already common in areas with limited available on street parking, such as in commercial centres. It should be noted that delivery services, such as AusPost and Uber Eats, are moving towards using electric bicycles because of the flexibility they offer to delivery drivers in urban areas. You may have noticed AusPost are now also delivering parcels with their new electric tricycles. Safer cycling infrastructure is good for delivery drivers too!
Is there any demand for cycling along this route?
You don’t build a bridge based on how many people are swimming across the river.
Current demand is not a reflection of future demand. When we make bike & pedestrian paths better, this results in an uptake in usage, this is called induced demand. We have seen this time and time again in cities such as Copenhagen, London and Paris. When municipalities build networks of safe bicycle infrastructure that provide access to a diversity of destinations, more people take up cycling.
The City of Melbourne has constructed significant lengths of separated bicycle lanes in recent years. According to the Victorian Integrated Survey of Travel and Activity (VISTA) the number of trips that were taken on a bike in the City of Melbourne increased by 26% between 2018 and 2020, a significantly faster rate of growth than other transport modes.
We will continue to add to this page as we continue to learn more over the coming days, so please check back!
