Aussie cyclists' horror as new cycle lane routes them onto road with 70-tonne trucks

Town planners in Australia have been slammed for a new cycle route that puts cyclists on the same stretch of road as 70-tonne trucks.

The new riding route is planned along one of Melbourne’s busiest freight roads, Lorimer St in Port Melbourne running between the Bolte and West Gate Bridge.

The route is part of a plan by the Victorian Government.

Victorian Transport Association CEO Peter Anderson told the Herald Sun: “Lorimer St is a gazetted freight route for heavy vehicles and is intensively used by trucks of up to 70 tonnes in weight travelling between Webb Dock and road and rail freight infrastructure closer to town.

“Regardless of who is at fault, the cyclist will always be worse off in a collision with a truck, so why on earth would you encourage their close interaction on a shared roadway?

“While we fully support infrastructure that encourages commuters onto bikes and away from cars, the last place we should be putting it is on the only gazetted freight route.”

The Victorian Government Put the plan out for consultation last month, and said it was not confirmed yet, but would be in a month’s time.

Planning Minister Richard Wynne said: “The Fishermans Bend Framework is about getting the planning right to build a neighbourhood that the community deserves.”