Motorcycle filtering laws: Victorian Government rejects proposal to allow riders to weave through stationary traffic

Updated

A proposal to allow motorbike and scooter riders to weave through slow-moving or stationary traffic has been rejected by the Victorian Government.

The Opposition has promised to amend legislation allowing so-called "filtering" if it wins government in November's state election.

Labor's spokesman for roads Luke Donnellan said the move would be a "win-win for everybody".

"We think it's time for the Government to act, so we're jumping on the front foot and saying let's get moving," he said.

"This reduces congestion, increases safety for motorbike riders.

"They do it in New South Wales, they do it in many other places around the world, there's enough studies so... in our eyes it's ready to go."

A 2012 Road Safety Committee report recommended further research into the practice and said it could decrease traffic congestion.

It also said it could protect riders from same-direction accidents.

But it found filtering was a factor in three motorbike fatalities between 2000 and 2011.

State Transport Minister Terry Mulder said he could not endorse something that had led to deaths on the roads.

"Given the fact it's proven to have killed people in the past, I'm not sure how many seriously injured, I couldn't on the back of that recommend that practice," Mr Mulder said.

Melbourne CBD riders can use bus lanes

He said the Government was prepared to monitor the laws in other states.

Also, the Government has moved to allow motorbike and scooter riders to use designated bus lanes to decrease congestion in Melbourne's CBD.

"We've looked at this report very closely and I've had Vic Roads do some further work for me, and as a result of that we've allowed motorcyclists to travel in the bus lane on Hoddle Street," Mr Mulder said.

"That's been very successful in separating them out from traffic, so we're going to extend that.

"We believe this is the best possible way to get separation between heavy traffic areas and motorcyclists, and give motorcyclists better access to the road network."

Mr Donnellan said other drivers should not be concerned about motorcyclists weaving around them.

"This would be when drivers have come to a standstill, so I can't imagine too many drivers would be too concerned about someone moving around them," Mr Donnellan told the ABC.

"I could understand if people were concerned if they were moving through and their cars were moving at the same time, but that's not how it's being implemented."

Topics: state-parliament, states-and-territories, road, vic

First posted