Is it possible to recognise climate change as a global emergency and order a newly built bike lane demolished at one and the same council meeting? Well. Geelong Council managed to do just that on 25 February 2020. The late evening debate in the chamber split the 11 councillors in two specific groups, just like it did five months ago, when a motion to declare a climate emergency was discussed and then turned down – at that time influenced by a tiny but loud minority who had been contacting councillors in that powerful Block of Six, which de facto runs the city.

Geelong is now set to lose an important part of its new so-called ‘Green Spine’ in its central business district. Shortly after the first etape of the infrastructure project was completed in Malop Street, including two new safe bike lanes, six out of eleven councillors at City Hall decided to spend $2 million on demolishing one of the two bike lanes and turn it into car parking space and increasing the car traffic.

The bike path which Geelong Council has decided to remove

The decision-making process, which was labelled as ‘impulsive’ and misjudged by the councillors who objected to the decision, resembles exactly how it has been possible that the ambitious bike lane plans for Swanston Street and High Street ended up being watered down and in some road stretches were cancelled completely.

With this move, Geelong has once again consolidated its reputation as a city with lousy and dangerous infrastructure for cyclists and e-scooters. As you will hear if you listen to the audio excerpt below or see the live-streamed video from the meeting at Geelong City Hall, it didn’t happen without strong objections from five of Geelong Council’s eleven councillors.

In an attempt to politely reject Councillor Eddy Kontelj‘s notice of motion and its suggestion to remove one of the two newly established bikelanes in Malop Street, Geelong Concillor Jim Mason proposed an amendment to the motion, which would keep the best of Kontelj’s suggestions and ideas for improvements, but which removed the order to demolish one of the bikelanes.

Councillor Mason explained at the meeting:

“Increasing traffic flow and increasing parking spaces flies in the face of the orginal purpose [of the Green Spine in Geelong’s CBD]. The original purpose is to reduce the traffic flow and increase the walkability, cycle-access and liveability of the precinct. (…) Online shopping and changing community needs is causing a problem for traders. Increasing the traffic flow won’t fix this. Indeed, a different mindset is required. I am sorry that a noisy minority – and I am assured it is a noise minority – cannot adapt. There is a silent minority who support the Green Spine and have adjusted their mindset.”

“The Green Spine in Geelong’s city centre was recognised last year by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects and the Victorian State Government and was given various citations. One citation was that Malop Street’s Green Spine “is a shining example of how traditional retail streets can become inviting public spaces during the day and night. A horticultural connection to Johnston Park and Geelong Botanical Gardens is established through the use of indigenous and exotic species.” And this is going to be damaged by increasing the traffic flow and providing more parking spaces for traders who don’t feel very happy because they are not successful. Well,