The City of Moonee Valley is embarking on a new integrated transport strategy that will aim to improve safety and access across the municipality over the next 10 years.
The council has launched the process with the release of a discussion paper which sets out the challenges and potential solutions to getting people around in a district that expects to add 10,000 new dwellings in new activity centres.
It hopes the paper will prompt public feedback to guide the direction of the new strategy which it expects to release in draft form by the middle of next year.
The news of a new strategy should give bike riders hope across a municipality which has been largely starved of new infrastructure for riding.
The council published a detailed bike plan in 2012, but few initiatives were taken by a council obsessed with the usual insoluble car parking problems.
But now, with new apartments popping up all over and significant population growth planned, active transport will have to be prioritised if residents are to be able to commute to work and education and get to local facilities and attractions.
The council has a target of having more than half of residents travel to work by walking, cycling or public transport but understands it has to reduce the real and perceived impediments to sustainable travel and provide a connected and safe walking and cycling network.
“The current cycling network has gaps along key routes and some bicycle facilities are not sufficiently separated to encourage cyclists of all ages and abilities,” the discussion paper says.
“A significant portion of the Strategic Cycling Corridors (SCCs) have not been implemented, and it will be challenging to upgrade some identified routes to the required standard.”
The paper cites a lack of planning controls to ensure suitable infrastructure and setbacks to providing high-quality walking and cycling facilities. It says existing key routes such as the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail require significant safety upgrades that are costly and challenging to complete.
If you live in or visit Moonee Valley, you should provide feedback on some of the issued raised in the paper.
There are pop-up events scheduled.
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