Submission to City of Melbourne on the roll-out of the cycling network

The Boroondara Bicycle Users Group (BBUG) has a long history of advocacy for better bicycle infrastructure in Boroondara and beyond.  Many of our members and supporters cycle to and through the City of Melbourne and benefit from recent and ongoing improvements in safe cycling infrastructure.

Bike trips include commuting to work in Melbourne’s CBD, going shopping and recreational bike rides to and through central Melbourne.

We have been very pleased to see continued implementation of improvements for safe cycling across the city. We consider this to be of the utmost importance given the changes in transport that have occurred and that will occur as a result of the recent pandemic.

Traffic congestion has already returned to levels higher than before the pandemic and looks likely to stay this way for the foreseeable future.

Without significant and targeted investment in infrastructure and programs to make riding a bike safe, convenient and a competitive alternative to driving a car, motor vehicle use will continue to spiral upwards.  Every trip on a bike is one less car on the road.

We are concerned about a recent report that the City of Melbourne is considering scaling back plans to provide safe, separated bicycle lanes across the city in response to recent vocal criticism from business interests, AWU and some residents.

We support the City of Melbourne’s efforts to ensure our streets can be accessed by those that want to walk or ride as well as drive. People make the city, not cars or trucks.

No matter where we live, it’s important for everyone in our community to access and enjoy our streets. That means joining up the missing links in our walking and cycling networks with more footpaths and safe bike lanes and paths.

43% of cars in the City of Melbourne are simply travelling through, the city is not their destination

Before COVID, 7% of all people travelling into the CBD came by bike. Melbourne can attract many people back into the city who ride a bike by providing more safe routes both into and within the CBD. Bike parking space generates twice as much economic activity for local businesses as car parking space.

The more bikes are separated from cars the more space for drivers who do not have the option to ride a bike.  Improving safety for people riding and walking improves safety for all road users.

In addition, the economic activity generated by the Australian cycling sector is significant with a $3.4 billion in direct value add to our GDP, 34,295 direct (FTE) jobs, and Cycle tourism has a direct industry output of $1.2 billion annually.

We would welcome the opportunity to present our submission in person on behalf of the Boroondara Bicycle Users Group and its members.

See also

• Ask Melbourne’s City Council to continue building bike lanes, Climate Council
• City of Melbourne pauses bike lanes, BBUG report