Residents divided over East Melbourne traffic works

A wave of new zebra crossings and speed humps rolling out across East Melbourne has divided the community, with some residents calling for the works to stop and others insisting they are long overdue.

The upgrades – part of the City of Melbourne’s plan to improve pedestrian safety through zebra crossings and increased signage – have prompted heated debate across the leafy inner suburb.

In October, Inner City News reported that hundreds of residents opposed the rollout of the safety measures, due to being deemed “unnecessary” and causing visual clutter.

However, resident Shelley Faubel said the safety measures were essential to protect vulnerable people, particularly children and older residents.

“Many vulnerable people in our suburb, both young and elderly, need protection when crossing our streets,” Ms Faubel said.

There is, in fact, considerable local support for the safety measures being implemented.

She said a submission signed by numerous residents had been presented to the council, calling for two additional pedestrian crossings along the route to the local kindergarten and community centre.

Ms Faubel also questioned the credibility of a petition opposing the works.

“I acknowledge that some residents oppose these measures, but it’s important to note that the petition includes signatures from a number of people living well outside East Melbourne – as far away as Montmorency,” she said.

However, as reported last month, others argue that the works have been rushed and poorly communicated.

Campaign organiser Luke Martin, who is leading the call to halt the project, said the rollout had created widespread frustration.

“It’s certainly upset a number of local residents. I’m very disappointed in the outcome, and now that it’s happened, people are saying, ‘We didn’t know it would be this bad,’” he said.

“That makes me seriously question how thorough the community consultation really was. The rollout isn’t finished, so we’ve asked the council to stop and reassess whether it even needs to continue.”

The works are part of the City of Melbourne’s Neighbourhood Traffic Management Plan, which aims to slow traffic, improve pedestrian safety, and ensure all residents live within a short walk of public open space.

As the rollout continues, the debate over East Melbourne’s traffic future shows no signs of slowing down. •