Transport Minister Eric Abetz says there had been an “overwhelmingly negative” reaction from businesses on the street and shoppers who use existing parking spaces which would have been affected by the trial.
Good on the local goverment for going ahead anyway, and this bit
Every time they do an improvement or make it safer there is more and more people riding," she said.
Bike lanes on roads are practically free. For example, when repainting the road after resurfacing maintenance. It doesn’t take more paint to mark out a bike lane than it does for car parking.
Bike infrastructure at its core is a political issue. If you follow cyclist money, you’ll soon find it spent on bicycle advocacy groups. It’s the best bang-for-buck and addresses all the other barriers, like shop owners complaining about the free public parking they’re not paying for.
Makes sense