Density.

+ Walkable neighbourhoods + Active and public transport + High-density housing forms = Low-emission cities

Do you want to reduce carbon emissions? Try upzoning. Research shows detached houses produce 1.8-2.7x MORE greenhouse gases per person compared to apartments and townhouses.

Normanby Reserve is alongside the Sandridge Trail, city side of the tram depot. @cityofmelbourne proposes to make the reserve larger, apparently by narrowing Normanby Rd. That stretch of path was resurfaced in concrete a few years ago after years of tree-root damage.

Still waiting for Dept Transport and Planning to release emails regarding Queensberry St lanes. Seems as hard to get as fixing a dangerous piece of roadway. "If you agree to this extension, the due date of your decision will be on 11/02/2026."

One thing I wrote about here is how technology has made buses *way* more convenient while techno-futurists were obsessed with flying taxis and self-driving cars.

Our overview of a busy 2025 for active transport issues in Darebin and across Melbourne, including the good, good but do better, the bad and international good news streetsalivedarebin.org/journal/2025...

SUVs and big Utes "are 44 per cent more likely to kill an adult pedestrian or cyclist in a crash compared with a sedan, and 82 per cent more likely to kill a child" www.theage.com.au/national/vic...

New! 3CR podcast: @bikemelbourne.org with Melbourne City Council news regarding funding, planning and transparency surrounding the city's bicycle infrastructure + Handcrafted Bicycles - Builders, Frame Design and Inspiration book review🚲🎄🚲 www.3cr.org.au/yarrabug/epi...

2025 is the first year ever that Australia has recorded more pedestrian fatalities than vehicle passenger fatalities. Super-sized vehicles seemingly doing a great job at protecting their occupants at the expense of everyone else. www.drive.com.au/news/pedestr...

"Council Plan" @cityofmelbourne previous years "5 km of new protected bike lanes". This year "Implement and refine the cycling infrastructure network focusing on safety and functionality of the road network, delivering 5 km of new or upgraded protected bike lanes per year" /2...

Queensberry St protected lanes. City of Melbourne emails show they expected State DoTP approval by November 2024 and construction to start June 2025. We're still waiting (3 months) for State to respond to our FOI.

Good to see Vic govt find a commonsense position on this important issue. E bikes and scooters, when used safely, have huge potential to help people connect to public transport, for example in areas where bus services feeding into stations are inadequate.

Glad the Westgate tunnel fixed traffic in #MelbsWest

Indeed, all across Melbourne.

.@bicycle_network has published a guide to buying an e-Bike. Not product reviews, but how to get a bike that is safe and can be carried on trains. bicyclenetwork.com.au/our-advocacy...

Melbourne doesn't have the first three. bsky.app/profile/will...

Ughhhhh Knew this would happen and it's not great especially when trying to pass the joggers. I've also discovered that some of the expansion joints are so rough they set my bell off when I ride over them. #Veloway

We've had an FOI at Vic DoTP on delays to Queensberry St protected lanes in the works for several months. Keeps getting held up waiting for "executive review". Wonder what they are scared of releasing?

This is touted as reducing housing costs, which is debatable. What is certain is that it will lead to higher densities. Which makes PT and cycling more applicable than driving.

Bluestone removal in the offing. NIMBYs will rise up. Bluestone might not. engage.vic.gov.au/route-57-nor...

E bikes michaelwest.com.au/barnaby-brus...

UPDATE: GIPPS STREET RAMP, ABBOTSFORD IS OPEN www.yarrabug.org/2025/12/05/g...

This is a good move: Planning rules will no longer demand that everybody pays for parking at home that they don't need or use. Better walking, cycling and public transport is also needed to help more people get around without having to drive.

Yep. Metro Tunnel good. But the rail network (and the broader public transport network) can't reach its full potential while the buses, which in many areas is the only PT service, are so poor.

The Melbourne Metro Tunnel opens today. Congratulations! Now can we start caring about the buses? www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...

Would you like to see less rat-running through Collingwood? If you live in the neighbourhood, some locals are inviting you to sign this open letter (it's not run by Streets Alive Yarra). Check it out: nicer-collingwood.my.canva.site

No difference here

Last night's #CriticalMass in Melbourne was a very fun ride around the CBD. We went along streets I've never been before, and the rain stayed away until we finished the ride at Town Hall. No photos this time as I stayed at the back of the bunch to keep tailgaiters away from other riders.

See you at Critical Mass 30th anniversary ride. 5:30pm today, State Library.

Au Co2 emissions dropping everywhere except for transport. Let's subsidise SUVs, don't include them in fleet fuel economy rules and don't require them to meet passenger car safety standards. bsky.app/profile/mich...

Parking spaces turned to higher value. @streetsaliveyarra.bsky.social says rent out parking with an app. Which is better? Or a combination?

Car-dependent suburban sprawl is the most publicly expensive, publicly subsidized, and publicly consequential form of human habitation in human history. #SuburbanSprawl #CarDependency

We can dream

@werideaust.bsky.social "Cycling community celebrates reinstatement of e-bike standard" mailchi.mp/weride/cycli...

Whatever else, be sure not to mention active transport.

CRITICAL MASS 30 is next week! Which one of these retro designs do you prefer? Blue, green, sort of ochre or red? 🤔 💡Want to help promote the ride? Download, print, cut & tape up on your fave traffic light signal pole, workplace etc drive.google.com/file/d/1t_9U... criticalmass.melbourne

“Automobile industry analysts say that manufacturers are attracted to high profit margins from SUVs: they can make more money from SUVs even tho they make fewer vehicles.” "If ranked among countries, the global fleet of SUVs would be the world's 5th largest emitter of CO2…” We all pay the costs.

(Your regular reminder that Vic Labor went to the 2014 election with a cheaper simpler smaller project to address truck movements in the inner west, one that would not have resulted in generation of lots of car trips to the CBD, as the West Gate Tunnel is likely to.) #Melbourne

Moreover, these hideous monstrosities do not meet passenger car safety standards.

You should build bike lanes for people who are not currently biking and build housing for people who don't currently live in your neighborhood.

If city data is similar to country data, this helps a lot to explain why AU remains so car based. Density is too low for transit and cycling to be viable. www.nationmaster.com/country-info...

Currently the 2 way shared path enters no man's land at the level crossing. I thought it would be impossible to make that any worse.

Why "equality" isn't appropriate nor fair on the roads: theconversation.com/cyclists-may...

No Level Crossing Removal Authority, I will not be using this lane to turn right near the Maddox Road. #PaintIsNotInfrastructure. 🙄🤦‍♀️ Of course there won't be road rage or cyclists hit.

Great @yarrabike.bsky.social radio episode on @3crmelbourne.bsky.social. Shows how important the Streets People Love campaign is. Pushing for livable streets that include bike infrastructure is going to get more general support than solely pushing bikes. Also probably gets more pleasant bike routes.

A new 'left turn hold' at the start of the traffic signal phase to protect the busy bicycle movement towards Melbourne CBD on Rathdowne Street at Victoria Street.

New! @3crmelbourne.bsky.social podcast with Val & @postcardsfromnorth.bsky.social: How do you measure Healthy Streets? Talking to James Laing active transport specialist with Stantec and twenty years experience in the UK and with the City of London + news & events www.3cr.org.au/yarrabug/epi...

And not just more housing. Density makes cycling and PT more convenient than driving. Also simple arithmetic: double the density means twice the catchment per service.