High St Northcote and route 506

[westgarth]

I would like to alert members of this forum to proposed changes to route 506, and associated developments in Northcote/Westgarth.

1) Darebin council have developed a 'Streetscaping' project for Northcote High Street, to improve its appearance. You can comment on it here by 31 March http://www.darebin.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.asp?Page_Id=5876

2) A larger project is developing. COuncil will soon be seeking State funding to improve most of the 86 tram route up and down High Street - to accomodate larger and lower trams, to replace worn track, to meet disabled access requirements, and to prioritise public transport use. There is a consultation process here with comments needed by 27 MArch.

Route 86 consultation document and feedback forms
http://www.darebin.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.asp?Page_Id=6152&h=1


There are some significant drawbacks of the proposed plans,which have clearly been rushed ahead, because of imminent State funding opportunities in this financial year. The time for public comment is extremely short. Decisions made in the next month will potentially set in place transport arrangement in Northcote/Westgarth and beyond for the foreseeable future. The public have a very short time to think about what this all means.

Here are 2 issues worth thinking about.

1) There is no provision for cyclists at all in the plan. This is stated explicitly in the 'frequently asked questions' of the Rt 86 document above, and came up two public meetings held last week. See http://www.darebin.vic.gov.au/Files/FrequentlyAskedQuestionsTramRoute86CorridorImprovementProject.doc
This is because tram superstops from Westgarth to Thornbury are planned, and these will narrow High Street to one lane in each direction where they are placed together, or where a tram stop is central to the roadway (as proposed for Separation St/High St junction). Cyclists will be directed to mount superstops via a ramp, avoid the pedestrians on it, and go down the other side!This is not 'sustainable transport planning' by any measure - promoting public transport (trams, or buses) by ruining a major cycling throroughfare. Imagine this going on for the next 20 years, as cyclist numbers grow.

2) There is a major problem in Westgarth, affecting buses and residents. The plan is to improve tram access via a couple of suggestions for new platforms - one is here and easier to explain by looking at the map http://www.darebin.vic.gov.au/Files/Westgarth_Option_1.pdf. Westgarth would become a 'gateway' to a 40kmph High St , all the way to Thornbury and beyond, with tram stop buildouts. Both plans for Westgarth, however, involve minimising the north-bound traffic continuing up High St by sending some traffic left at Westgarth Street and on to St George's roundabout. As they say, at "High Street / Westgarth Street to promote traffic diversion of northbound traffic to St Georges Road, particularly for afternoon peak." BUT rather than keep the road layout as it is, the Council is proposing using the service road adjacent to High Street, which begins at Cunningham Street, clearly shown on the plan above, as a slip road for through traffic onto Westgarth St/Merri Pde. Currently this is lightly used residential, but has a terminus for the 506 bus. Essentially, this stops the bus route using the service road, and puts a very heavy traffic load, including trucks and many cars, right next to eight houses on this service road which previously have been buffered by a raised nature strip from the main High St. commuter traffic. Thus, the costs of better tram access are differentially borne by 8 houses who are actually part of the traffic-calmed CunninghamSt/Walker St area, and don't deserve even more traffic disturbance than they already have.

3) On questioning the Council, they wish to terminate the bus in Cunningham Street if their plans are approved, which would become a dead-end street. How it would turn around to goback to Moonee Ponds is not clear. It is a greater distance from Westgarth shops and station, so this is far from ideal.

4) One plan is to have a central tram/bus stop on High St S of Westgarth St that combines tram and bus stops - it would accomodate the 86 tram and the 250/1 buses. The locals like that idea.

--------------
ACTION
There is a hastily announced meeting with the Council about Westgarth plans, in Northcote Town Hall, wed 18 March 6.30pm, which locals have just received information about in their mailboxes after an objection.

Again, public feedback on the Route 86 plan ( a hastily prepared document, with errors and no page numbers) can be made online here http://www.darebin.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.asp?Page_Id=6152&h=1 by 27 March.
I think it is urgently needed.
Thanks

[Connex]

Here's hoping that these improvements to High Street are approved and go ahead. Anything that improves tram priority and improves passenger safety is definitely a must.

This issue with cyclists is something that does need to be investigated. As far as I'm aware, bicycles are not permitted to cycle on tram platforms, similar to the regulation preventing cyclists on train platforms. Whether they go around the platform or dismount, its a safety thing, because we don't want another North Melbourne-style incident of a cyclist falling off the platform and being struck.

Now, low-floor trams is possibly the biggest short-term issue that comes to my mind with this project. Right now, the curve at Gertrude Street also poses an issue to low-floor trams because the bend is too sharp for a 3 or 5 module low-floor tram. So, in order for low-floor trams to start operating on route 86, there needs to be some work done on the Gertrude street bend.

Also, because the Combino fleet are maintained by Siemens at Malvern depot, they can't travel too far away from home, Southbank being the only exclusion. Meaning there are literally no low-floor trams available to serve the 86 as its operated by the East Preston depot, and the Citadis trams dedicated for the use of 109 and the odd 48.

Hopefully the next batch of low-floor trams are based at East Preston.

[Alex on the Bus]

Re the 506 issue, why not consider extending the route to Westgarth station with the terminus in South Crescent? Union Street could be used as part of the turning loop, as could McLauchlan Street if one wanted to avoid High Street. Not only would you deal with relocating the 506 terminus, you'd also create a brand new interchange opportunity (or, at least, make it easier by reducing the walk) involving services that happen to have the same frequency (every 20 minutes Monday-Saturday).

As for the cyclist issue - and I speak as a cyclist and former Darebin resident - the main issue with the Ruckers Hill (Westgarth Street to Separation Street) section is the volume of motor traffic, not necessarily the absence of bike lanes. What's being proposed is basically Gertrude Street with platform stops, and that street is no longer designed as a through route for motor vehicles. Probably the only part that actually needs a bike lane would be the northbound climb up the embankment from Union Street to Clarke Street, mainly to allow cars and trams to pass cyclists safely.