What we are seeking
We are asking for a $10 million investment over 4 years to fund high-priority cycling routes, as identified by the Victorian Government, to form a Strategic Cycling Corridor. We also aim to partner with the Victorian Government to jointly fund the construction of missing link cycling paths identified in our Banyule Bicycle Strategy.
What it will deliver
Cycling rates in Banyule are well below the state average. The latest Census data indicates that only 1.1% of residents travelled to work by bicycle, compared with the greater Melbourne average of 1.4%.
Only 15% of local women cycled compared with 22% across greater Melbourne. The Victorian Government has identified a higher proportion of female cyclists as a strong indication of the health of an area’s cycling environment.
What you can do
To help us deliver this priority, you can write to our Lower House Member of Parliament for this electorate or any of our Upper House Members of Parliament for their commitment to deliver funding for this project.
Overview
We will create a safer community to move around in for pedestrians and cyclists, encouraging greater community health, reducing greenhouse emissions and our carbon footprint.
We need more than 60 kilometres of strategic bike paths to connect cyclists to major activity centres and destinations. Dedicated routes that separate cyclists and motorists are pivotal to increasing the number of cyclists.
More than 50% of comments in our 2021 Banyule Bicycle Strategy Survey said that direct and safe cycling routes were their main concern.
Other barriers to cycling locally include:
- missing links, a high proportion of mapped routes are non-existent or incomplete
- minimal road space allocation for cycle lanes, impacted by on-street car parking and traffic needs
- off-road shared use paths and trails heavily used and in need of maintenance
- concern about the potential impacts of major projects, such as the North East Link, on access to existing cycle routes.
We have prioritised the Strategic Cycling Corridor and are keen to partner with the Victorian Government to attract a pipeline of funding for their delivery.
More than $20 million of priority works have been identified:
- Banyule (Watsonia) to City (Melbourne CBD), $3.7 million
- Manningham via Heidelberg Station to Darebin, $1.07 million
- M80 to Eastern Freeway via North East Link alignment to Heidelberg, $5.4 million
- East West powerline easement trail, $4.2 million
- Watsonia North to Eltham via Greensborough, $1.92 million
- Civic Drive Roundabout to La Trobe University via Greensborough Station, $2.7 million
- Lower Plenty to La Trobe University, $2.46 million
- Plenty River trail, $350,000.
A range of connecting paths have been identified to help more residents use bikes or walk as an active form of transport.
We are looking to partner with the Victorian Government to jointly fund many of these paths.
All of Banyule.