Merri-bek Council is presently engaging in public consultation on the Glenroy to Coburg cycling route, including an online survey open until 1 April 2024. Six route options have been put to residents.
Council Officers prefer the Pascoe Vale Shimmy. Climate Action Merribek has already been critical of this route option as a connecting route between Glenroy and Coburg, identifying a number of safety issues, highlighting increased elevation change to other routes, and its lack of propensity for comfortable and direct cycling. .
A bias for the Pascoe Vale Shimmy option shows up in the survey. Also the Boundary Road option (Alternate Route 2) there is no mention of the wide nature strips along the north and south side of Boundary Road which would enable a shared use path to be constructed from Bristol Street to Derby street.
Other possible partial route options, such as use of Landells Road, have also been brought up in face to face consultation events, but are not listed on the website consultation, so have not been included in our submission.
We assess all the route alternatives publicly presented and advocate support for Alternate Route 2 along Pascoe Street and Boundary road to Derby Street as the most simple, direct route, with least elevation change that would be most useful for cycling from Glenroy to Coburg. Pascoe Street and Boundary Road are a state government controlled road and part of the State Government Principal Bicycle Network. We think the State Government should contribute funding to improve the active transport infrastructure for this route.
This route would also involve installation of traffic lights at Boundary Road/Derby St intersection. This would help resolve traffic issues and a history of minor collisions at this intersection, that have been reported to Council. It would also mprove walkability and safety by providing a pedestrian crossing of Boundary Road at this intersection with installation of traffic lights.
Background:
Past blog articles on active transport in Merri-bek. While Councillors have set ambitious plans for Active Transport in Council Policy and Strategy, it has been a constant fight in implementation of projects and in getting the necessary Council budget allocation.
Council is not building the active transport infrastructure at the rate needed to meet the climate emergency.
MARCH 14, 2024
Merri-bek Council refuses to undertake consultation on trial road closures after passing new Transport Strategy
JUNE 21, 2023
Some wins on Active Transport in Merribek council budget
MAY 20, 2023
Major backtrack on active transport projects in Draft Merri-bek Council Budget jeopardizes Climate Targets
APRIL 18, 2023
Transport Policy in Merri-bek for the Climate Emergency (2023 refresh)
Climate Action Merribek 