Enraged readers have slammed council’s Belmont bike plans after traders revealed to the Indy last week they could take legal action against the project.
The online criticism contradicted a recent council survey of 2611 people that found 63 per cent supported bike lanes of some type.
“It doesn’t matter how many surveys council does, it’s not as if it takes any notice of what ratepayers want anyway,” Nola Bufton commented on the Indy’s Facebook page.
“Bike lanes should be in a quieter street behind High St. Council has turned Malop St into a disaster, it would only do same to High St with bike lanes.”
“I have only seen a couple of bikes use those green lanes in the CBD, nothing but a traffic jam daily,” Greg Keiller said.
TAC set the route through High Street as a condition of providing $4.7 million for council’s bike network.
“Never mind the fact it’s a bloody big hill with lights all the way up it to make it impossible for mere mortals to climb!” Sarah Tanith Anderson said.
A combined 39 per cent supported options 2A and 2B in the survey, both of which would see High St lose 30 car parks for separated bike lanes.
Another 24 per cent supported option 3, which would remove all 83 on-street parks in part of High St for “protected” bike lanes.
But 69 per cent of mobility aid users (26), 61 per cent of business owners (40) and 54 per cent of people over 50 (1071) opposed bike lanes.
“If they take out so many car parks my disabled ass is going to have to walk a block to Jen’s (Place),” Cosmin Engelsman said online.
“Obviously the council want to kill off trade in High St,” Viv Van Dort said.
“No parks means no customers. Why should the minority, AKA bike riders, get precedence over cars?”
Matt Hines defended the plans citing the 41 per cent of business owners who supported bike lanes in the survey.
Geelong Mayor Bruce Harwood described the project as a chance to beautify High St to draw customers, rather than motorists using the road as throughway.
The survey did not unfairly disadvantage non internet users, given residents could complete it at council consultation stands on High St, Cr Harwood said.
Acting director city services Vicki Shelton said the survey results reflected Geelong’s demographics.
