While everyone supports safer streets and reducing road trauma, this strategy reads as an ideological anti-car document rather than a balanced and practical transport plan for a dense inner-city municipality.

The proposal includes widespread 30km/h speed zones, one-way street conversions, traffic calming measures, raised intersections, modal filters and significant restrictions on vehicle movement across Port Phillip. These measures will have serious unintended consequences for residents, local businesses, tradies, visitors, older residents, emergency access and everyday liveability.

The document repeatedly refers to transforming the transport network by reducing vehicle speeds and reallocating road space, yet there appears to be very limited acknowledgement of the practical reality that Port Phillip is also a major tourism, hospitality and business destination. Many residents and visitors still rely on cars for work, family responsibilities, mobility and access.

I am particularly concerned that:

• blanket speed reductions are being proposed without clear evidence of proportional benefit;
• traffic will simply be pushed into surrounding residential streets;
• increased congestion and travel times will worsen frustration and emissions;
• local businesses already under pressure may suffer from reduced accessibility and parking impacts;
• emergency and service vehicle access could be compromised;
• community consultation appears secondary to predetermined policy outcomes.

The strategy openly states that Council intends to redesign roads and progressively move the entire network toward a “Safe System End State” by 2050. That is an enormous long-term transformation of Port Phillip that deserves far greater public scrutiny and genuine consultation before implementation.

Safer roads should absolutely remain a priority. However, there must be balance, evidence-based decision making, proper economic assessment and meaningful community input — not a one-size-fits-all approach driven by transport ideology.

I urge Council to:

• pause implementation of broad network changes;
• undertake genuine resident and business consultation suburb by suburb;
• release transparent modelling on congestion, economic and amenity impacts;
• prioritise targeted safety upgrades at known blackspots rather than blanket restrictions;
• ensure the needs of residents, families, older people and local businesses are properly considered.

Port Phillip must remain safe, but it must also remain accessible, functional and liveable.