Hiya MBUG,

There's a copy of the letter to City of Melbourne in the Files
section of the MBug Yahoo group. I'd actually forgotten that I had
put it in there back on May 23:

Lygon Crt - Melb CC letter 23052005.doc
Re: on-street parking proposal oustide Lygon Court 324 KB
nearherethere May 23, 2005 Edit

I have to date recieved no written reply. I rang City of Melbourne
about three weeks ago and spoke to Gordon Harrison and Andrew Cronn
(9658 8439) was surprised to hear that I had not got a letter back:
He indicated that he had drafted a reply that was to be approved and
signed by a councillor...? But hey, I never got it...

In any case his answer to me on the matter was:

"While we can see some value to supplying more bike parking in that
area, there are several reasons why it won't happen in the way that
you suggest in the foreseeable future.

1) It would use up a large chunk of the 'bike parking' budget at once.
2) Those who decide how the road / traffic management budget is spent
would not agree to it.
3) There are already several car parking related issues in that ares
(read noisy residents' groups), they would be miffed to 'lose' three
parking spaces."
At this point I made it clear that we (MBUG) would be happy with even
just one space converetd to bike parking. He still said "Hmmmm, very
difficult"
4) There is deemed to be enough bike parking off road (on footpath)
to meet demand, except perhaps for Monday nights (cheap movies at
Nova)."

So I guess that means that nothing is going to happen.

My personal thoughts on it all are that;

A) Melbourne is UTTERLY CRAP at responding to letters phone calls and
emails on anything. It is like talking to a big dark empty cave.
B) The campaign is worthwile and we should stick at it, but should
rethink our stratgey.
C) Happy to get other MBUG members' thoughts, and will try to make it
to next meeting.