News

It has been a long time coming, but campaigning by MeBUG and other cycling groups has brought this project to completion. The ‘missing link’ in Vermont South connecting the Eastlink trail with the Dandenong Creek trail, is now open. This $4M project by the state government involves 800m of shared path plus a 45 m bridge across Dandenong Creek.

Read more

The proposed pedestrian / cycle bridge across the rail line in Box Hill, which would link Nelson Road with Thurston Street Box Hill, is at risk from development plans by Vicinity Centres Pty Ltd for three major building proposals in Box Hill Central. MeBUG has objected to this project as below.

“Metro East Bicycle User Group Inc (MeBUG) objects to the above applications on the grounds that they will render impossible, the construction of a pedestrian/cycle bridge across the rail line identified as a key walking and cycling thoroughfare in the Box Hill Integrated Transport Strategy 2020. 

This bridge would link Nelson Road via the laneway adjoining the West boundary of the subject site, with Hopetoun Parade and Thurston Street and forms part of cycling route NS2. It will be a key linkage to the Ringwood – Box Hill path and the planned Box Hill – Hawthorn path.

The level difference between the Nelson  Road Lane and Hopetoun Parade will require access ramps at the Northern end. The construction of these ramps will not be possible if the buildings as planned are built.

The applicant should be required to modify their plans to accommodate such ramps, so that the bridge can eventually be built.”

Hi Shaun,

The development of concept plans and potentially more detailed plans to advocate for high quality cycling facilities (and/or future proofing of works to allow for these facilities) is very much on the agenda to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the level crossing removals.

We have currently commissioned concept designs for Bedford Road.  We envisage work for Ringwood East and Croydon will commence shortly pending further imminent discussions.

We plan to consult the MeBUG once more detailed plans have been developed.

If you have any queries, please contact me.

Regards,
 
Marvin Chen 
Team Leader Traffic and Transportation Engineering 

Maroondah Council

MeBUG member Shaun Ruigrok has made s comprehensive submission to Maroondah Council seeking numerous upgrades to the Mullum Creek Trail. The submission highlights many defects and shortcomings of the existing path and suggests numerous improvements.

Read full submission

VicRoads has announced that work on the path along Burwood Highway Vermont South linking the Eastlink Trail with the Dandenong Creek Trail, is about to commence.

“Work to construct the new path is now set to commence and follows a range of feedback over the past 12 months, including input from the local community at the community information session in 2019. Stakeholder feedback is highly valued and has helped shape the project.

The Victorian Government has invested $5.7 million to provide:

·      A safer link for pedestrians and cyclists to walk and ride between the EastLink Trail and the Dandenong Creek Trail.

·      An 800m all-weather off-road path, that includes a 45m bridge over the Dandenong Creek.

·      A direct link from the existing shared use path towards Westfield Knox.

The new path will provide a safer and more convenient alternative to the existing narrow timber boardwalk on the northern side of Burwood Highway which becomes slippery when wet and is often closed for the community’s safety.

Work on the new shared use path will commence this week and the path is expected to open to cyclists and pedestrians in late 2021. To keep everyone safe we will need to close the left-hand lane along Burwood Highway city-bound during work hours – 9.30am to 3.30pm (weekdays)  and 8.30am to 5pm weekends.”

See project page for more information.

Some eleven years after a group of advocates started campaigning for the construction of this project, it was finally completed in December 2020. The final stage comprised:

• Widening of the footpath on the Middleborough Rd rail bridge to accommodate the shared path;
• Construction of a separated path through laburnum Park;
• Installation of a signalised crossing of Laburnum Street adjacent to the railway bridge; and
• Construction of a separated path along main Street between Laburnum Street and South Parade.

See project page for more information

Maroondah City Council has obtained TAC Local Government Grant funding to prepare a concept design for a Shared Use Path linking Ringwood and Croydon. O’Brien Traffic has been engaged by Maroondah City Council to prepare the concept design.  Read more

The Department of Transport has engaged consultants AECOM to develop initial route designs for the path. MeBUG is participating in the consultations and has provided initial feedback

Read more

Whitehorse Council on 22 June, adopted a budget that rejected MeBUG’s submission for additional cycling funding. All submissions from. other community groups and individuals were likewise rejected

Whitehorse Council has again produced a budget with woefully inadequate provision for cycle paths and other infrastructure.

Council has allocated just $327,000 for cycling which covers just one Easy Rides route and some minor unspecified cycle related items.

We have lodged a submission Arguing for more funding and a new approach, particularly in view of the COVID-19 crisis. In a nutshell, our submission:

• Seeks redress of the habitual underfunding by doubling the current year provisions and tripling in subsequent years;
• Notes the greatly increased cycling take up due to the Covid-19 outbreak;
• Points out the disparity of cycling investment compared to general recreational and roads funding;  
• Calls for ‘big picture’ thinking in leveraging existing infrastructure and working in partnership with the state government; and
• Calls for a Council resolution to require officers to increase cycling funding in the future as well as a more holistic approach to cycle planning.

You can read our full submission here.

Whitehorse Council, with consultants AECOM has been developing its Box Hill Integrated Transport Strategy since late 2019. The Stage 3 draft report was recently released for comment.

The strategy recognises the importance of active transport, walking and cycling. However MeBUG believes improvements can be made for cyclists travelling through Box Hill via the Box Hill to Ringwood path and the future planned Hawthorn to Box Hill path, now being planned by the Victorian government. MeBUG has made a further submission to address this issue.

David Simm and Michael Hassett representing MeBUG met with Karly Lovell, General Manager, Travel and Transport and Yvonne Yip, Director of Property Infrastructure and Property Group, of Deakin University on 22nd October.

The meeting resulted from MeBUG submissions dated 30/8/18 and 24/7/19 to the Deakin Vice Chancellor requesting improvements to the safety of students and the general community accessing the Burwood Campus via McComas Gve and Holland Avenue.

Within the general discussions re cycling to campus we specifically discussed:

• The dangers posed by vehicular traffic including buses from east & west funnelling into Holland Ave at the same time as cyclists from the SUP along the Burwood Highway.

• Access to the Elgar Rd campus via Holland Avenue for students from the east and southeast.

• The lack of a safe pedestrian and cyclist crossing of the Burwood Highway at its’ intersection with Holland Ave & McComas Grove.

• The advantages provided by safe access to McComas Gve  including connection to Mt Waverly via The Lundgren Chain and Damper Creek Paths and a gradient free access to the Gardiners Creek Path to and from the south.

• We provided approximate costing for circa 400 lin metres of SUP along Holland Ave and upgrades to the existing crossing.

• We provided broad details of our “Dual Mode (bikes & trains) transport to Deakin “ information sheet. We agreed to assist Deakin by preparing Detailed planning of these routes.

• We were able to provide details of responses from VicRoads who have “ agreed in principle subject to funding” for an upgrade of the crossing of Burwood Highway and from Whitehorse City Council who have stated  “there are no plans to make changes to Holland Ave”.

• We discussed the new bridge over the Dandenong Creek and SUP at Vermont South and the need for “cut throughs” to service lanes.

Finally it was agreed to continue to co-operate on this project and for MeBUG to assist Deakin in achieving their targets of increasing cycling as a means to travel to the university.