The City of Melbourne intended the trial changes to create “vibrant,fun and inviting spaces” and ease crowding on footpaths on the four streets,which in some sections are used by up to 10 times more pedestrians than vehicles.
But a review of the trial commissioned by the council and released online this week has found motorists and pedestrians do not understand or follow the new rules.
“For the most part,pedestrians and drivers were unaware of the priority rules within the shared zone,” the assessment by planning consultancy Stantec says. “Pedestrians generally waited for cars to pass before crossing the street and drivers were rarely observed yielding to pedestrians.”
One exception was Finders Lane at the intersection of the Degraves Street laneway,where the road is raised to footpath level and pedestrians “were observed confidently crossing the street without yielding to cars”.
The review says the council should install more “traffic-calming” designs – such as raised street sections,planter boxes or dining parklets – and paint or pave the streets to differentiate them from regular roads,where vehicles have priority.
Little Collins Street closes to vehicles between midday and 2pm on weekdays and the review says the council should close part of each street to traffic during busy times.