Federation Square 14/6/2010

Melbournians and visitors have voted with their feet: Federation Square is well liked.  City Cyclist would like to congratulate Federation Square for recognising that the bicycle is a great way to arrive.  More and more bicycle parking has been provided, some of it inside the square, some of it on the street.  The security staff no longer hassle a cyclist who wheels their bike inside the square. 

Federation Square also includes the pathway behind, above the Yarra.  It's called Princes Walk and according to the City of Melbourne bicycle plan, it is part of an "important bicycle route".  Unfortunately festivals often block this route, creating conflict and making cycling difficult.  This path is the only conection between the Yarra northbank and St Kilda Rd / Swanston St.  So congratulations to Federation Square for delineating a bicycle only path alongside the pedestrian area.  Apparently however, the pedestrians can't see the signs and walk everywhere without respect for cycling facilities.  Probably the path needs to get the green colour, and ideally should be raised a few centimeters to make it more obvious.  Perhaps a police blitz is needed.  Congratulations also to Federation Square for keeping a recent (May 2010) festival off the new bicycle lanes so the cycling route was not blocked. 

At the bottom of the hill the bicycle lanes stops and chaos is created by the sharp corner which has to be executed into bikes going the other way.  But in such a well-used pedestrian area, speeds should be kept down in any case.  For faster cycling in the CBD we need on-road bike lanes, such as should be provided in Flinders Street.  Further along the same bicycle route in Birrarung Marr, things are not always ideal either but an encouraging sign was a "Womens Health" event which was fenced from the path along which cyclists are supposed to travel.