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Plans make Swanston Street pedestrian and bicycle-friendly may be expanded to surrounding streets, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle says.

An 'outrageous' figure of the 1950s The Age Then she leased space in Swanston Street opposite the Town Hall, and opened a cafe , where her friends whiled away their time. Soon she had expanded over two …

Plans to ‘fix’ Swanston Street delayed until February, despite Robert Doyle’s pledge.

A cyclist has told how he watched as another bicycle rider slipped on tram tracks on Swanston Street and fell to her death in front of a moving tour bus.

Soon after wearing the ornate mayoral robe and chains for the first time, Cr Doyle admitted his push to reopen Swanston Street to cars may not win the backing of the newly elected Melbourne City Council. Despite the looming council struggle over Swanston Street, Cr Doyle said the council would be united. theage.com.au

Robert Doyle failed as opposition leader not just because he led the Liberal Party to its worst-ever defeat, but because he’s devoid of any original ideas, insight, leadership skills or warmth and he has no connection with the needs of anyone other than his mates from Geelong College. Doyle wants to reopen Swanston Street to cars, ban bad buskers and stop the city being a bogan magnet. theage.com.au

Most Melbourne City councillors told The Age they will not support Mr Doyle’s pledge to reopen Swanston Street to cars.   “Even my children are telling me it’s a stupid idea,” said newly elected councillor Ken Ong. And in a move that would buck the worldwide trend to make cities more friendly to pedestrians, bicyclists and public transport users, Mr Doyle called for cheap parking on the city’s fringes, and removal of tram “super stops”.

“Badly talented” buskers face being banned from the CBD as part of a bid by Melbourne’s new lord mayor to clean up the city streets. Hours after his election win, Robert Doyle said tougher rules and regulations were needed to keep the streets free of bad performers. Mr Doyle also touted a Bourke Street police station and a theme park to attract more families to the CBD at night. Mr Doyle said he expected a battle on his hands with his controversial plan to re-open Swanston Street to traffic.so that we can still have pedestrians, cyclists and have cars actually moving through it,” he said.”I was in Swanston Street and it was a taxi rank. theage.com.au Mr Doyle on Melbourne

Mr Doyle said he believed Mr So would be remembered for an incredible passion for the city. But Mr Doyle has wasted no time raising hackles by saying he wants to reopen the city’s Swanston Street 17 years after it was closed to traffic, supposedly to make it more family-friendly.

Former Liberal leader Robert Doyle and Greens lawyer Adam Bandt are the most popular choices to become Melbourne’s next lord mayor, according to a Sunday Age readers’ poll. The survey showed a strong gender distinction, with nearly a quarter of women choosing Mr Bandt and 34% of men keen on Mr Doyle. On the issue of Swanston Street most candidates want to close it further — pushing out delivery vans to limited times and getting rid of buses — but businessman Nick Columb and Mr Doyle are committed to opening it once more to cars. Read Original Article>>