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Hobsons Bay Strategic Bicycle Plan 2013-2017 Draft Executive Summary Report February 2013

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Introduction

Hobsons Bay City Council has recently

reviewed the Hobsons Bay Strategic Bicycle

Plan 2003 to determine its status and identify

any outstanding actions.

A technical report was produced during the

review and this document forms the basis for

the revised Hobsons Bay Bicycle Network and

associated initiatives.

The revised bicycle plan (Hobsons Bay

Strategic Bicycle Plan 2013-2017) builds on

the recommendations of the previous plan,

the Hobsons Bay Integrated Transport

Strategy and the Council Plan 2009-2013.

Review methodology

The review process included:

Establishing existing conditions and

analysing background information;

Establishing the current extent of the

Hobsons Bay Bicycle Network;

Assessing potential projects for inclusion in

a new plan to further develop the bicycle

network; and

Developing a Bicycle Plan Report with

recommendations for the 2013-2017

period.

Consultation with cyclists included:

A Bike Scope Survey including a Pin Point

tool (online);

Surveys and user counts of trails from

2010-2012;

A submission from Bay West Bug Group;

and

Analysis of written requests, complaints

from cyclists and walkers and budget

submissions.

Site visits included:

More than 120 sites inspected by

members of the review team to

determine existing conditions and to

identify issues and problems.

Key issues

The review of the Strategic Bicycle Plan

identified a number of key issues:

There are many gaps remaining within the

existing bicycle network, both on and off

road routes;

Inadequate resources to undertake

reactive and preventative maintenance of

assets;

Decline in levels of funding and funding

programs provided by the state

government over recent years is affecting

the development of specific projects and

the connective bicycle network;

A number of major projects are too

large/costly for the Council to fund alone

and require various approvals often from

multiple authorities;

Hobsons Bay’s Bicycle Network offers unique

viewsthat are unrivalled.

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A number of major projects are the

responsibility of other government

agencies who rate higher priority projects

in other municipalities ahead of projects in

Hobsons Bay;

Inadequate directional and user etiquette

signage on the shared trails;

Lack of local route signage in various

locations for the on-road network; and

Steady increase in the numbers of cyclists

and range of cyclists (e.g. commuters,

sports training, recreational) using the

network, with more conflict on off-road

trails between cyclists and pedestrians/dog

walkers reported.

Hobsons Bay Strategic Bicycle Plan 2013-

2017

This plan seeks to further build on the existing

bicycle network to develop a highly

connective bicycle network. Since 2003 a

number of ‘missing’ links in the network

(bicycle routes) have been identified and

projects completed. However there are still

numerous projects to be undertaken in order

for connections to be completed so that

commuter cyclists, recreational cyclists, sports

cyclists, and tourists can move to and from

major focal points within Hobsons Bay.

Funding sources/opportunities

The overall development of the bicycle

network within Hobsons Bay relies on the

future funding of network improvements by

government agencies. The provision of funds

for major projects undertaken solely by the

state government, and of funding programs

for jointly funded projects with Local

Government Authorities (LGAs) has declined

over recent years. This has significantly

affected the rate of development of the

bicycle network and has consequently shifted

the burden of full funding of many projects to

LGAs.

The bicycle plan acknowledges that VicRoads

is responsible for fully funding the

development of the Bicycle Priority Routes

(BPRs) within the Principal Bicycle Network

(on-road). It also acknowledges that Parks

Victoria no longer funds projects jointly with

LGAs for the development of the

Metropolitan Trail Network (off road routes).

The Hobsons Bay Strategic Bicycle Plan 2013-

2017 does not recommend that the Council

assumes responsibility for funding projects

that would have previously been funded by

the state government.

The plan recommends that the Council

pursues funding opportunities from external

agencies for specific projects where

appropriate, and works in partnership with

other organisations and LGAs to leverage

funding from identified sources.

Bike paths have increased in popularity from a variety

of different user groups.

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Implementation plan

The Hobsons Bay Strategic Bicycle Plan 2013-

2017 has identified numerous projects and

priorities that comprise the development of

the bicycle network and promote safe and

appropriate cycling use.

The high priorities include:

Completion of the Bay Coastal Trail, in

particular at Maddox Road/JT Gray

Reserve, and Greenwich Reserve through

to the rear of the Newport Power

Station;

Completion of sections of the Laverton

Creek Trail and Skeleton Creek Trail;

Planning and design for complex areas of

the proposed Kororoit Creek Trail;

Improving Trail Signage (directional and

user etiquette);

Completion of new on road bicycle lanes

on Blyth Street, Altona, Hall Street,

Spotswood and North Road, Newport;

Improving local route signage for on-road

routes;

Advocate for government agencies to

implement major projects in Hobsons

Bay for the Principal Bicycle Network (on

road routes), including VicRoads, and for

the Metropolitan Trail Network (off road

routes), including the Victorian

Department of Transport; and

Advocate for external funding programs

to be made available to jointly fund the

development of local bicycle routes.

Recommendations

The development of a highly connective

bicycle network within Hobsons Bay should

continue over the 2013-2017 period, guided

by the Proposed Bicycle Network 2013 (see

map attached) which includes refinements

resulting from the review of the Hobsons Bay

Strategic Bicycle Plan 2003.

Other key recommendations, to be

undertaken during 2013-2017 are:

- Shared trail works of high priority of an

estimated value of $3.6 million;

- On-road works of high priority of an

estimated value of $430,000;

- On-road local route signage of an

estimated value of $55,000;

- Off-road directional and etiquette signage

of an estimated value of $100,000;

- Improvements to information provided on

the municipal bicycle network, bicycle road

safety, safe cycling, appropriate use of

shared trails etc. – the Council’s website,

maps, phone apps, and brochures;

- Funding submissions to external

agencies/federal government for major

You’re never too you to explore Hobsons Bay’s Bicycle

Network.

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construction projects, end of journey

facilities such as bike parking facilities, and

safe cycling initiatives;

- Participation in the Western Metro

Melbourne Regional Trails Strategy;

- Development of a municipal strategy to

integrate walking and cycling with health

and well being initiatives, access to public

transport and to major destination nodes;

- Ongoing input into Victoria’s Cycling

Strategy 2013-2023 and federal

government strategies to influence

outcomes for Hobsons Bay;

- Improved system of maintaining assets –

additional and specific funding, timeliness

of works, a revised process to ‘close the

loop’ on maintenance works, consistent

management approach with appropriate

resourcing;

- Encourage and support commuter, sports

training and recreational cyclists use of the

links of the Bay Coastal Trail with the Yarra

Trail (Westgate Punt or other alternative);

and

- Annual review of the plan to monitor

progress of implementation.

A table on the Hobsons Bay Strategic Bicycle

Plan 2013-2017 recommendations can be

found on the next page.

Further information

To see the technical report, visit

www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au, email

recadmin@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au or call 9932

1124.

Explore Hobsons Bay’s bike paths and see our municipality

from another perspective.

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Proposed Bicycle Plan Implementation 2013 – 2017

Project 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17

Off – Road – planning, design and/or construction

Laverton Creek Trail - construction

Coastal Trail - construction

Skeleton Creek Trail – planning and design

Skeleton Creek Trail – construction

Kororoit Creek Trail – planning and design

Kororoit Creek Trail – construction

Trail Infrastructure – directional signs, user etiquette signs, rest stops

On – Road – new bicycle lanes requiring marking of lanes etc.

Blyth Street – Millers Road to Pier Street

Blyth Street – Grieve Parade to Maidstone Street

Hall Street – Hudsons Road to Tait Street

North Road – Douglas Parade to The Strand

Blenheim Road; Hudsons Road east of rail crossing through to Douglas Parade

Bladin Street; Chambers Road; McArthurs Road; Stevedore Street (all planning / design projects)

Local Route signage – various locations where no signage is currently provided