Councillors are expected to vote on adopting its Roadmap to Zero policy on 17 June, but the policy does not provide details about the design and location of traffic management interventions including 30 km per hour speed limits, bike lanes and one-way streets.

The policy does not make it clear if the Council intends to implement a proportionate response with targeted interventions on the genuinely highest-risk corridors. Adoption of the policy must be delayed until the details are provided. Sign the petition if you have not already done so at  https://c.org/dkGgkLPbbB

The Council’s Road Safety Technical Report which is referenced in the policy document highlights several key points that are being missed in the public debate.

Serious crashes and fatalities are already trending DOWN in Port Phillip

FSI crashes between January 2025 and December 2024 – Source: City of Port Phillip Road Safety Technical Report page 18

The Road Safety Technical Report states there has been “a downward trend in the total number of crashes” between 2015–2024 and Fatal and Serious Injury (FSI) crashes reduced from 130 in 2015 to 72 in 2024. A significant reduction and the report itself says this “highlights how our road network is progressing toward the Vision Zero goal.”

The report acknowledges that many Port Phillip roads already operate in lower speed environments of 40 km/h and 50 km/h and specifically notes this contributes to “a lower risk for fatality.”

This is important because many quieter residential streets already function as lower-speed local environments compared with high-speed arterial roads.

Importantly, fatal and serious bike rider crashes have more than halved from 36 in 2015 to 17 in 2024.

Where are the most serious crashes occurring?

The report clearly identifies that Serious injuries among bike riders are concentrated on arterial roads. It specifically calls out the hotspots for serious crashes:

• St Kilda Road south of Queens Road / Queens Way (Princes Highway)
• Major intersections
• Busy activity centres
• High traffic corridors

The report repeatedly references arterial roads, intersections and areas where vehicle traffic intersects with walking/cycling demand as the highest-risk locations. This is a very different risk profile to slower suburban side streets.

The report itself suggests local streets are not the primary fatality problem

The analysis highlights that:

• vehicle-to-vehicle crashes are more common overall
• severe crashes involving cyclists and pedestrians are concentrated where heavy traffic mixes with active transport
• intersections account for the majority of FSI crashes

The highest trauma risk is largely on major corridors, arterial roads, complex intersections and busy activity centres, not on already traffic-calmed suburban streets.

Port Phillip already has relatively low fatalities

The report states Port Phillip’s fatality rate is already lower than the:

• Victorian average
• City of Yarra averages

while acknowledging serious injuries remain an issue.

What Residents can reasonably ask?

If crash numbers are already declining, and the most serious incidents are concentrated on major arterial corridors and intersections, should Council first focus investment on those high-risk locations before dramatically changing quieter local streets? The report does support safer crossings, improved intersection safety, protecting vulnerable road users and reducing serious injuries.

But it also shows Port Phillip is already improving, many local streets are lower-speed environments and major trauma hotspots are concentrated on arterial roads and intersections.