No more cars in Melbourne CBD?

[parawolf]

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...590502659.html

CARS will be driven out of the city in favour of public transport and bicycles under a radical new council strategy that abandons plans for a multibillion-dollar cross-city tunnel and suggests slashing speed limits in the CBD.

Under Melbourne City Council's draft strategy, commuters would be "weaned" off cars.

But Lord Mayor John So has conceded that the strategy would work only if the State Government invests more in public transport and cycling alternatives. "The council does not want more cars in the city, but we recognise that people need better transport choices before they will give up the convenience of a car," Cr So said.

The council has also backed away from its previous interest in a multibillion-dollar road and rail link, proposed by the influential Committee for Melbourne last year, that would have connected the Eastern Freeway to the Western Ring Road at Deer Park.

The proposals in the strategy include several dramatic shifts in council policy, including:

■Cutting speed limits in the central city area from 50 to 40 km/h to "reduce pedestrian injuries and improve the walking and cycling environment".

■Opposing increased road access for cars into the city, arguing that "more road capacity would threaten the long-term viability of the city … (and) that the more space is devoted to private vehicles, the less space there is for people".

■Blocking any further removal of tram stops at city intersections to build "superstops" in the middle of city blocks because "tram speed cannot be improved by this initiative given the necessity to stop at each corner" at traffic lights.

The report recommends the council use its authority over roads in the CBD to introduce bus and tram-only lanes in several streets, as well as allocating more space to pedestrians and cyclists. The council's planning committee chairwoman, Cr Catherine Ng, said: "Like it or not, the car can no longer be king in Melbourne."

The council is also considering a plan to boost public transport patronage by offering city residents discounted fares in return for relinquishing parking permits, along with discounted tickets for shoppers.

The strategy calls on the State Government to invest heavily in improved train, tram and bus routes, including upgrading the city loop, as well as lobbying for off-peak tolls on roads such as CityLink to spread peak-hour demand.

An average of 640,000 people visit the city each weekday, with that number forecast to rise to 1 million by 2014.

Almost half of those commuters travel into the city by car.

The strategy is based on months of consultations with transport and business lobby groups. Most of the 232 submissions considered have been calls for better cycling, public transport and pedestrian access, with scores of complaints about current road policies favouring cars. The strategy will be on the council's website on Friday and finalised in June.