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Calls for electric bollards after Bourke Street crash
Electric bollards could be the answer to protecting pedestrians in Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall after a driver allegedly killed one person on Friday night, an expert says.
A 26-year-old Melton West man has been charged by police after he allegedly drove through the mall before hitting a group of pedestrians and two other cars.
RMIT professor of planning Michael Buxton said more needed to be done to improve safety standards, which were last reviewed in response 2017 Bourke Street tragedy.
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Buxton said bollards blocking the entry point of the mall needed to be explored.
"Bourke Street is a special case and it needs special treatment," he told 9News.
"The issue with Bourke Street is that traffic limitation measures are on the sides of the mall, but there needs to be measures to block cars from entering the middle."
Retractable bollards provided a feasible way to separate traffic, Buxton said.
"They can be retracted electronically so trams can go through and cars can be separated," he said.
"It needs to be installed there, we have to address the problem that the Bourke Street Mall creates and it's a question of identifying the threat and the best possible safety measures.
"Bourke Street is a glaring problem."
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The state government today said an investigation into the incident needed to happen before further measures could be taken.
"We will wait for the advice from Victoria Police before making further announcements or any actions," Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan said.
"It's about having that right balance between public safety measures and the movement of people, the movement of public transport services, trams, buses, rideshare, taxis, pedestrians.
"The CBD of Melbourne is an incredibly safe place."
A total of 131 steel bollards were installed along the strip as well as a public address system and more CCTV cameras following the 2017 rampage.
The $52.5 million works also included street furniture and planter boxes to provide a protective zone for pedestrians.
