The kiosks in Melbourne CBD selling newspapers, magazines, lollies and cigarettes are soon to be a thing of the past, as Melbourne City Council plans to scrap all nine rectangular kiosks on city footpaths (the circular ones, which generally sell food, are staying for now).
Two of the kiosks have already been removed, and the remaining seven won't have their leases renewed and are expected to go by the end of the year.
It's all part of the council's plans to put pedestrians first in its new transport plan for the city. Car use will be limited, with off-street parking spaces the size of 20 Bourke Street Malls to be turned into space for cyclists, pedestrians, greenery and trading. Motorbikes will also be taken off the footpaths, with more on-street bike parking to be introduced.
The plan, including the removal of kiosks, is designed to help Melbourne cope with a skyrocketing population without leaving our footpaths too overcrowded.
"When you put something quite big on the pavement people walk around it and it’s getting people walking in the curb or onto the road and that’s really unsafe,” Melbourne councillor Nicolas Frances-Gilley told 3AW.