Where to park those tour coaches?

A mystery messenger left the following newspaper clipping for me this morning (also online at the City of Melbourne web site):

Proposed relocation of Swanston Street tour bus stops

Request for community feedback

The City of Melbourne is seeking feedback on a proposal to relocate the tour bus stops on Swanston Street, between Bourke and Lonsdale streets, to improve safety for cyclists.

Cyclists have raised concerns about safety due to large buses parking in Swanston Street during peak cycling times.

The City of Melbourne is considering the following options:

1. retain the tour bus stops in their current location and indent the pavement in Swanston Street to create space for bicycles to safely travel between buses and trams;
2. relocate the tour bus stops to Lonsdale Street between Swanston and Russell streets; or
3. relocate the tour bus stops to the east (Alexandra Gardens) side of St Kilda Rd immediately south of Princes Bridge.

Comments about these – or any other alternative options – can be forwarded to the City of Melbourne, PO Box 1603 Melbourne VIC 3001 or engineering@melbourne.vic.gov.au

All comments must be received NO LATER THAN 5pm Monday, 21 May 2007.

All enquiries concerning this matter should be directed to the City of Melbourne’s Engineering Services Group on 9658 8711 or email engineering@melbourne.vic.gov.au.

Mystery Messenger also added the following annotation:

option 4: the space specifically designed for buses between NGV Potter & Fed. Square car park.

I can’t really see that option 1 is feasible, given the weight of pedestrian traffic along the Swanston St footpaths during the working week. And I also can’t see why options 2, 3, and 4 need necessarily be mutually exclusive.

If, like me, you’d be happy to free Swanston from tour coaches then let your fingers do the talkin’…

More on related topics

• Swanston Street is crazy
• Melancholy thoughts on road death
• No tour coaches in Swanston St? Yes!
• Trivia on Melbourne’s ‘Copenhagen’ Bike Lanes
• Melbourne as the Copenhagen of Australia