The Best Solution We Never Tried: Cycling and Transport Policy in Melbourne

This article reviews the use of bicycling as a mode of transportation in Melbourne, Australia. The authors note that, compared to many similar cities in northern Europe, in Melbourne, cycling mode share has remained very low. They analyze the place of cycling in transport policy through a review of policy documents and interviews with prominent transportation advocates, planners and academics. The article begins with a brief history of transportation, including bicycling, in Melbourne from the 1960s to the present. The authors then describe five significant factors: a 'predict and provide' approach to transport planning; political expediency; an aspirational rather than transformative approach to cycling policy; a lack of quantitative data for the construction of cost-benefit analyses; and the perception of cyclists in the community. They conclude that planning for bicycling needs to be better integrated into transport planning decision making process with stronger leadership and direction in order for bicycling to be a more integrated mode of transportation in Melbourne. Cycling is emphasized as one way to aid in the reduction of congestion and pollution, while providing significant positive benefits, including health, fitness, and an improvement of the public realm. The authors call for additional research in the areas of bicycling levels and usage patterns, including demographic profiles of current and potential cyclists.