Drivers made to give way to cyclists in Melbourne experiment

  • 24/06/2018
Cycling
No more of this. Photo credit: Getty

Drivers will have to give way to cyclists as part of a 'hybrid solution' in Melbourne.

The two roundabouts at Moray St, where it intersects with Dorcas and Coventry streets, in the CBD forces drivers to give way to cyclists as part of a "safe and reliable" alternative during works for the Metro Tunnel - an upgrade to the city's train network.

The bike lane runs alongside the footpath and the street at road level, separated by a mountable kerb. It has also been coloured green and separated from traffic by a parking lane.

Metro Tunnel
Photo credit: Metro Tunnel

Four raised pedestrian crossings have been added to each of the two roundabouts.

Cyclists run parallel to the crossing on entering and exiting the roundabouts, with drivers forced to give way as they would pedestrians.

Albert Park MP Martin Foley told the Herald Sun the permanent Moray St bike path was a "reliable alternative" to travelling on St Kilda Rd and described the roundabouts as a "Victorian-first".

Facebook users were left pleased with the change.

"Importantly bikes will have right of way through the roundabout - so if you use this lane you won't have to give way to traffic to your right. It's going to make it a lot safer for people on a bike," one man wrote. 

Another simply said, "This is amazing."

The roundabout at Moray and Dorcas streets opened on Friday while the second roundabout, which meets at Coventry St will open in a few weeks.

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