Bikes and sustainable transport
Future travel demand in Melbourne will negatively impact on Yarra unless there is support for adequate alternatives such as bicycle and walking paths and improved public transport. Council is working to expand sustainable transport options.
Bikes
Bikes are a great way to get around, explore your neighbourhood, visit friends and travel to work.
More Yarra residents per capita ride bicycles to and from work than in any other metropolitan Melbourne area. Yarra Council spends more per population on bicycle networks, paths, facilities and parking than any other inner-city Council.
Results from Bicycle Network Victoria's 2011 BIXE survey - which compares how much local governments spend on bike infrastructure - shows that Yarra Council will spend $24.64 per resident this financial year on bike lanes and facilities (up from $20.04 last year).
This investment makes Yarra Council the top spender among inner-city councils and the second top spender (behind Surf Coast Shire) among the 54 Victorian councils included in the survey.
Council's long-term investment in bike infrastructure is noted in the survey, with Yarra having the highest average spend on bicycle infrastructure over the last five years ($17.47 per resident). To read the full report, visit Bicycle Network Victoria’s website.
In 2011/2012, Council will spend $1.9 million on upgrading local on and off-road bicycle paths, including:
- $1.181 million will be spent on upgrading bike paths in open space including: sections of the Linear Park trail (between Alfred Crescent and St Georges Road in North Fitzroy) and sections of the Main Yarra Trail (between the Abbotsford Convent and Dights Falls)
- $260,000 will be spent on upgrading the bike lane in Elizabeth Street (between Hoddle and Lennox streets, Richmond). This will link to the separated lane in Albert Street, East Melbourne
- $200,000 will be spent on line marking to better define on-road bike lanes
- Council will also complete an upgrade to a bike route that connects Clifton Hill and Abbotsford in the 2011/2012 financial year.
Bicycle Advisory Committee
Council has a Bicycle Advisory Committee that meets every two months to discuss the development of the local bicycle network and other bicycle infrastructure in Yarra.
Strategic Transport Statement
The following documents underpin Council's work to encourage more sustainable forms of transport:
First adopted in 2006, the Strategic Transport Statement aims to meets the transport needs of residents, businesses, visitors and commuters, while minimising the negative impact cars on Yarra’s community. It is not intended to be a comprehensive transport strategy, but a broad statement of Council’s direction on transport policy. The original version of the document first adopted in 2006 appears below:
Strategic Transport Statement 2006 (184.98kB)
Strategic Transport Statement 2006 (233.00kB)
In August 2011, Council reviewed the Strategic Transport Statement and updated the proposed actions to be completed from 2012 to 2016. The updated actions appear in the documents below:
Strategic Transport Statement revised actions 2012 - 2016 (169.38kB)
Strategic Transport Statement revised actions 2012 - 2016 (55.53kB)
Each proposed action will be subject to further investigation and community consultation.
Continuing to reduce speed limits in residential streets is one of the 98 actions contained in the statement. About 90% of local streets already have a 40km/h speed limit. The Strategic Transport Statement indicates that in the long term, once all local streets are reduced to 40 km/h, Council will then look at applying to VicRoads for 30 km/hr speed limits in residential areas
Encouraging and Increasing Walking Strategy
The Encouraging and Increasing Walking Strategy provides a framework for Council to promote higher levels of walking in the City of Yarra. It also provides information for residents, businesses and visitors about the principles that underpin Council's decision-making about Yarra’s walking environment.
Encouraging and Increasing Walking Strategy 2005 (2.48MB)
Further information
Jane Waldock
Manager Strategic Transport & Environment
9205 5733
Jane.Waldock@yarracity.vic.gov.au
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