Another day, another harebrained socialist policy proposal in Melbourne.
Now they want to ban cars from large parts of the CBD. The announcement comes within 24 hours of “Occupy for Climate” riding bikes around the CBD to protest people driving.
Discussion
I wonder if the space made by this policy will be public space or privatised commercial or gated spaces? I noticed a huge uptick in security guards when I was there last week. Top of flinders lane through to collins already has a gated vibe. Lots of traders would love to increase their kerbside footprint.
Paris End of Collins has had tons of security for years as it’s where all the luxury brand retails.
They’re not doing this because they want to help the retailers they destroyed in lockdowns, Melbourne City Council has got in their heads that they can shape the city to their own whims and desires and they decided they want a European-type city where everyone walks or rides bikes whilst completely ignoring the reality of how dispersed the suburbs are and lacking the infrastructure is to facilitate it.
Like all the bike lanes they chucked in - they’re empty because maybe 10% of Melbournians **could** actually use them to get in to go to work, everyone else lives too far out and don’t have safe means to get there in the first place. And most of the 10% who could don’t because the weather here sucks for it and there aren’t facilities (bike lockups, showers etc) to make it conducive.
This is all just socialist brainfarts trying to corral people to do what the central planners want them to do and it’s constantly backfiring because like all central planning, it’s disconnected from reality.