Bicycle Network: Metro Routes

Hill of Discontent – Rules don’t apply on High Street platforms

28 May 2012 Darebin Council has revisited the High Street Tram Platform fiasco after rider and pedestrian complaints wanting a better outcome for all.
It’s a step in the right direction. Sort of. The full report is available here.

Council’s recent video analysis revealed the risk of conflict between bikes and pedestrians was heightened when a tram was stopped.
Yet Council are persisting with exposing pedestrians to risk by sticking to a policy which ironically removes the priority of tram users getting on and off the tram.
Darebin's Own Safe Travel Strategy “identifies pedestrians as more vulnerable than people on bikes, and therefore the safety of pedestrians is a priority.” One has to wonder why then a conscious decision has been made to remove this priority and increase the risk to pedestrians.

This priority is in place across the rest of the entire Melbourne Tram Network and yet Darebin Council has decided to go it alone. Nobody can deny the aspiration to make things better for pedestrians is the right thing to do however Bicycle Network Victoria believes the mechanisms used are flawed and will end in unnecessary conflict. When a bike rider does pass a stationery tram in High Street there are no laws in place, just a flaccid sign. All other tram stops, including Swanston St and other ‘ride over’ platforms have road laws in place to protect the alighting pedestrian.
The introduction of the Yellow “Stand behind this line” is welcome but will only help to confuse the platform users as the current scenario has pedestrians being told to simultaneously use the path but also not use the path and stand in an adjacent space. Conflict is conflict, no matter what or where the scenario and Bicycle Network Victoria believes Darebin Council has got this one badly wrong.
We can only hope this scenario doesn’t produce a poor outcome for an unsuspecting, and no doubt confused, Darebin resident.

The solution is simple. Return the platform to be categorised as road space which will bring with it the associated road rules which require by law a vehicle (bike) to stop when a tram is stopped. Shared Paths cant accomodate the variablity introduced by the presence of a tram; this approach should be abandoned.
It’s a solution which is proven, consistent with the rest of the Victorian tram network, won’t cost Council a cent and best of all, it works.
 

Hope dashed on High street

17 November 2011. The prospect of superior management of bike traffic following the installation of platform tram stops in High Street Northcote has been scuttled, as Darebin Council heads into legal quicksand by declaring the tram stops a 'Shared Path'.

By declaring that the stops are not part of the road, the usual road rules which protect pedestrians and bike riders will not apply.

Pedestrians will not have the protection from traffic they expect as they move on and off trams at the stop.

The 'Shared Path' approach effectively means that bikes will be able to ride in both directions over the platform and also legally pass a stationary tram with impunity and great risk to pedestrians.

Not only will pedestrians be able to stand out on the platform at any time without any clear direction as to who has right of way, this scenario may well see riders forced out into the tram tracks rather than run the gauntlet the Council-created obstacle course.

Bicycle Network Victoria has met with Council on numerous occasions over the last two years during its development of the High Street trams stops.

Advice has been ignored and High Street is becoming a leading case-study on how to get bike friendly street design wrong.

Ride-over platform stops offer a better way of dealing with bikes at tram stops compared to the earlier generation of tram Super Stops, which have increased risks to bike riders as they have been installed across Melbourne.

The soon to be completed first stage of Swanston Street was the first of these ride over platforms to be designed and agreed upon. The first of the Tram Easy Access Stop (TEAS) stops has started construction on Macarthur St near Parliament Station.

These are a variation on the long-standing trafficable platform designs as witnessed on Victoria Avenue Albert Park, Danks Street Middle Park and Harbor Esplanade, Docklands. In all these scenarios the road rules are applicable and pedestrians getting on and off the tram are protected by the road rules which state vehicles must give way to the tram and pedestrians when the trm is stationary and the doors are open.

The best option now for Darebin Council is to declare their experiment a trial so that after a decent period of evaluation the process can be reversed and the platform area once again deemed to be within the road reserve so that the road rules can apply.

You can let Darebin City Council know you would like a better outcome for bikes and pedestrians here.

Council tells locals to 'get on your bike'. Just don't do it on High St.

2 December 2009 In a shocking backflip Darebin City Council and State Government have caved in to opposition for plans for greater tram, bike and pedestrian priority along High St and Plenty Roads. The initial designs (outlined further below) were not an ideal outcome for bikes but contained many welcome elements which were a positive step for bikes. Detailed plans are available here: Part One and Part Two

The major change in the Mark Two plan seems to be to:

• use tram central island platforms

• introduce a continuous median strip up much of High St

• leave Plenty Rd as it is

• a poor bike result for the crucial High/Westgarth St intersection

• maintain car priority along the corridor.

Riders along this popular route and locals will be disappointed by this partial commitment to the route.

Riders will, however, be considered in the Mark Two plan on the short stretch of High St through the Northcote village region between Clarke and Separation St. This section is approximately 10% of the High/Plenty route.

The central tram stops and continuous median will require the tram tracks to be widened. This will eat up large areas of the road reserve. What this will mean for riders is little or no space at intersections, no bike lanes achieved mid block and no connectivity at the critical High Westgarth intersection.

Our 2009 Super Tuesday bike counts revealed that 75% of the riders approaching this intersection were travelling from the east along Westgarth St.

So what now?

Bicycle Network Victoria has spoken with Council, the State Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) and the Department of Transport to voice our concerns over this proposal.

DPCD are trying to get bikes off High St and get riders to use alternatives. We have said it is not acceptable to take away road space for bikes and replace it with signage and 'wayfinding' to direct riders to the St Georges Path, Victoria Rd, Westgarth St.

For riders with a destination in High St such as the shops, an alternative is out of the question. At a minimum the current space will need to be preserved and bike parking will need to be improved. Local riders should also benefit from any changes to signal priority phasing at the intersections. Signal changes are currently only being considered for trams.

For riders making 'regional' trips including commuters to the CBD, High St is currently a direct and well connected route. It may be possible to provide viable alternatives that riders will choose to use instead of Plenty/High St. The success of this approach will depend on how attractive the alternatives are, how well the connections are made and whether the alternatives serve the rider's origin and destination.

Riders heading toward the inner CBD/education precinct and starting north of Ruckers Hill could be encouraged to use the St Georges path by high quality connections along Murray Rd, Cramer St and the Miller St tram corridor.

We expect that riders who live on or around the Hill would use High St, no matter how good the alternatives.

Darebin Rd could also be improved. Exclusive bike lanes can be provided. There is a de facto bike space there at the moment next to the full time parking.

Victoria Rd could be improved with Vibraline lanes and green at the conflict points plus a better intersection treatment near the railway line at Wingrove Crescent.

If heading for the Yarra Bend/NMIT area then Victoria Rd / Westgarth / Jeffrey St and the Heidelberg Rd crossing could be improved to attract riders.

The Westgarth/High St intersection is critical due to the high number of riders who must come through this intersection. A high quality east-west link is desperately needed along Westgarth/Merri Parade between St Georges Rd and the Railway crossing on Westgarth St. The Mark Two plan shows a number of vehicle turning lanes which are unnecessarily wide. This space we believe could be better allocated to bikes to get them to and through the challenging intersection. Signal priority phasing would also make a big difference for riders, pedestrians and trams.

The Route 86 project is a major test for the State Government's upcoming Network Operation Plan which will see winners and losers as different modes are allocated differing priority along given routes. The challenge for Council and the State Government will be to ensure there is a winner not only on Route 86 but that the losers receive winning alternatives within the corridor.

You can give Council your feedback here. 

A good outcome for bikes. Almost.

26 March 2009 Bicycle Network Victoria has been in consultation with Darebin City Council staff regarding the proposed development of the Route 86 tram project. We met with them in 2008 to voice our concerns and it appears many of our comments have been taken on board and incorporated into the proposed design.

We do, however, have some concerns over some elements and we are asking Council to review these as we cannot support the proposal in its current form, but believe it can be tweaked in some elements to be a good result for all stakeholders.

It is a complex and large project and changes in its character and approach. We have attempted to break it down into the key elements from a bike perspective.

In summary:

1. Plenty Rd - Northern end
   Bad for bikes. Bicycle Network Victoria has asked Council to review

2. Central Superstops
   Bad for bikes in current form. Simple changes will make it a good outcome for bikes

3. 'Le Bump' Superstops
   OK for bikes. Shortter ramp lengths will make these great

4. Curb outstands Super Stops
   Excellent for bikes

5. Westgarth St intersection
   Bad for bikes. Bicycle Network Victoria has asked Council to review

Council needs to get your feedback now
There are elements of the community who are opposing this proposal but Bicycle Network Victoria believes that if our concerns are addressed (refer below) that the Route 86 proposal can have a significant benefit for bikes and the community as a whole. You can write to them, give feedback and show your support.

Plenty Rd - Northern end

This is the most challenging aspect of the roject for riders. The road reserve is relatively narrow and as such a bike lane will be hard to incorporate. The Route 86 proposal wishes to make the central tram reserve a tram-only space delineated by yellow tram-separators (used elsewhere on the network) to speed up the service and give trams priority. This is a poisitve for public transport and we generally support these initiatives however in this instance it will mean that bike riders will get squeezed in an already unfriendly riding environment. All vehicle traffic will berequired to travel in the tight lefthand lane. We have asked Council to review this and change the tram separator to a Vibraline edge and red-zone. This will allow vehicles to pass bikes when necessary for a short length of time and not hinder the tram. 

Central Superstops

This design is proposed for a small number of locations along High St. This will translate to a central platform, tram lines either side and one vehicle lane on the outside of the trams. This will be space hungry and a challenge for riders. The locations proposed could be improved for riders.

As these are at or near signalised intersections we have asked Council to incorporate signal-advances for the trams and bikes to allow us to get through this squeeze point (as currently in place at Flinders/Swanston intersection) without conflicting with vehicles. An exclusive bike lane could also be placed curbside (as per Bridge Rd) to operate during the peak hour clearways. Better-defined pedestrian crosiing points with signals or zebra crossings will also help. 

'Le Bump' Superstops

This style of stop could be a good development for bikes if refined as per other successful examples already in place across the metro network, such as Danks St, Sth Melbourne. This design is DDA compliant and allows tram users to walk out to the tram when it is stationery. It helps calm vehicle and bike behaviour.

The Route 86 version differs as the approach and departure ramps are 17m long. This gradient will be almost impossible to percieve and so we are concerned that the intended benefit of the 'up and over' design has been negated by this length of ramp. We are asking Council to adhere to the tried and tested Le Bump design with a ramp style below 5 metres in length.

Curb outstands Super Stops

This design is where the Council is intending help calm the road down, activate the area to become a more trader and pedestrian friendly zone. This is bold approach and Bicycle Network Victoria strongly supports this innovation. Traders on Swanston St and Lygon St have reaped the rewards of such pedestrian and bike friendly approaches and we look forward to High St joining this group.

The diagram (right) is our simplified attempt to illustrate how we would like to see the design executed. In short it will be a raising and extension of the curb, coming out to meet the tram. Vehicles will be allowed to follow the tram through this central area. Bikes will be able to ride up and over the platform in our own dedicated space, when pedstrians are not getting onto a tram. This will separate the cars away from the bikes. This essentially is a narrow 'Le Bump' platform without cars. We have asked Council to make these platforms as wide as possible to allow bikes to ride over the curb outstand in a practical way.

Westgarth St intersection

This is a very important junction in the bike network. Our Super Tuesday bike counts showed a large and growing number of riders travel throught this intersection in all directions. In the morning the southbound and westbound movements particularly are extremely important. This will invert in the pm.

We have asked Council to review this intersection to incorporate more bike friendly elements for these movements.

Darebin City Council are holding a 'roundtable discussion' on cycling issues in particular within the project planned for next Tuesday 31st March 6-7pm in the Council Chamber, Preston Town Hall. More information is available here. To attend you need to register by email.