Lygon Street Could Have Its Parking Bays Switched For Bike Lanes

Parking spaces along Carlton's Lygon and Rathdowne Streets could be scrapped to make way for bike lanes, bus lanes and wider footpaths, as Melbourne City Council looks at ways to best evolve with population growth and unclog our roads.

The two stretches were named as potential spots that could be transformed into 'Complete Streets', as outlined in the Council's recent Transport Strategy Refresh report. In an effort to reclaim the increasing amount of space taken up by cars, the proposal would see the two streets' current parking bays — or motor vehicle lanes, as both streets currently have two lanes going in each direction — swapped out for a mix of cycling infrastructure, bus lanes and extra footpath space, incorporating things like street art, cafe seating and planter boxes.

If these changes were implemented, it could making commuting from Brunswick to the city, or to the University of Melbourne, much easier.

With estimations that by 2036 the number of people commuting to Melbourne's CBD for work will rocket to 1.4 million on an average weekday, the Council has highlighted the need for some serious changes. Currently, in the City of Melbourne, a huge 460 hectares of space is dedicated to parking.

The Chair of the Transport portfolio Councillor Nicolas Frances Gilley explained, "we need to optimise our city streets for people walking, cycling and taking public transport because that is how the majority of people move around and it's the most efficient way to move large numbers of people as our population grows."

You can read City of Melbourne's Transport Strategy Refresh here and offer feedback via the website.

Image: Visit Victoria