Whitehorse and Boroondara councils have resolved to work together to seek the construction of the path by the state government during its next parliamentary term.
Category: Uncategorized
Whitehorse Integrated Transport Strategy
Whitehorse council has begun work to update its Integrated Transport Strategy. David Blom and Michael Hassett represented MeBUG at a community briefing session on October 16th, along with Graeme Stone from WATAG.
Subsequently the MeBUG committee approved a submission prepared by David Blom, which has now been submitted to Council.
Connecting the Waverley Rail Trail and Gardiners Creek Trail
MeBUG member David Simm has submitted a detailed proposal to the City of Monash, regarding the interconnection of the Waverley Rail Trail with the Gardiners Creek Trail. Further details
Councillors support opening Harvey Norman Lane to Box Hill to Ringwood path
We are delighted that Council passed a resolution on 28th April 2025 directing officers to progress the planning of this important access to the Box Hill to Ringwood path. We hope this resolution will finally overcome years of officer resistance. More information.
Box Hill to Ringwood and Pipe Reserve path connection
Whitehorse Council is working on connecting these two major trails. A recently delivered consultant’s report recommends a route we consider unsuitable. We have responded with our own detailed proposal for a direct off-road link along Rooks Road. More information.
Top ten Eastern Regional Trails
The Eastern Transport Coalition has released its Trails for Tomorrow report that details the plans for its top ten priority Regional Trails.
MeBUG strongly supports plans for all these trails and has previously advocated for a number of them, including the Ringwood to Croydon and Box Hill to Hawthorn trails.
February 2025 update
Whitehorse Council Ride with mayor and councillors
We were very pleasantly surprised to receive a request from the Whitehorse mayor, Cr Andrew Davenport in early January 2025, suggesting we accompany him on a familiarisation ride in Whitehorse to inspect cycling trouble spots. The mayor indicated he would use the information to seek actions by council and if possible, funding in the budget to address some of these issues.
In consultation with the Whitehorse Active Transport Action Group (WATAG) two rides were planned for the morning and afternoon of Saturday 18th January. Two other councillors (newly elected), Cr Kieran Simpson and Cr Jason Martin joined the morning and afternoon rides respectively.
The morning ride covered issues along the Box Hill to Ringwood path, while the afternoon ride focussed on potential interconnection of major cycling routes, Eastlink trail with Pipe Reserve trail, and Gardiners Creek trail with Box Hill to Ringwood and thence to Bushy Creek and Koonung trails.
Whitehorse Council area
We have requested a follow up meeting with with officers to review progress since our last meeting in July 2024. We plan to pursue the following:-
- Connection of Box Hill to Ringwood path with Civic Centre via lane beside Harvey Norman.
- Progress with VicTrack negotiation;
- Commencement of detailed planning on parallel with a) above.
- Walkers Road Nunawading. Box Hill to Ringwood path, currently on road, to be moved onto VicTrack land as originally planned, with parking moved to North side of road.
- Laburnum Street segment of Box Hill to Ringwood path. Review of the current unsatisfactory and hazardous mixing of vehicular traffic with cyclists. Discussion of possible options for improvement.
- Connection of future Healesville Freeway Reserve SUP to Pipe Track. Review of options.
- Connection of Eastlink SUP to Pipe Track via Burwood Highway south side service lanes, cut throughs and widened footpaths. Preliminary discussion.
Monash Council area
We have been lobbying for a long time for the construction of the missing link of the Waverley Rail Trail between Jordanville and Mount Waverley. Monash Council has recently released plans for the path alignment :
We have raised the following issues with the design:
- Is the existing footpath from Huntingdale Rd past the entrance to Jordanville Station to be widened to three metres plus clearance to the existing fence?
- The path where it crosses Alvie Rd is proposed to be close to the railway bridge. Does this optimise sight lines for both path users and motorists using Alvie Rd?
- The path does not travel through the Mt Waverley Council and Railway car parks to link with the existing WRT alongside the station. The route through the car parks is currently the popular route to the station and to continue on to the WRT.
The proposed scheme which ends in Arthurson St seems to propose an on road route on Arthurson and Alexander Streets and Hamilton Square.
Maroondah Council area
We are urging Maroondah Council to improve cycling lanes Eastwards along Bedford Road, from Ringwood station at least as far as Hill Street. This is key to having a safe cycling connection for the Box Hill to Ringwood path to:-
- the Heathmont – Belgrave trail, which has had a recent upgrade as part of the rail grade separation on the Belgrave line, and
- The East Ringwood – Croydon – Lilydale trail which has also had a welcome segment built as part of the Ringwood East level crossing removal.
Heathmont Rail Trail improvements
The LXRA have substantially completed the removal of the crossing at Bedford Rd and I am pleased to report that they have built what we advocated for in our July 2018 submission. Please see photos.
In this location we now await Maroondah Council’s planned improvements to Bedford Rd from the cessation of BHRSUP at Warrandyte Rd to Rosewarne Lane.
The crossing at Dublin Rd has been completed but the old path along Railway Ave is still very much part of the construction site
Which I believe will be rebuilt to the normal LXRA standards.
The new Croydon station has been recently opened but the surround area is still a construction site and I could not discern any SUP Construction yet.
Ditto for Ringwood East Station but the new bridge has a SUP on it.
One major disappointment is that we are not going to get the link across the railway, or under, from Cheong St to the Pipe Reserve In Yarraduct Place. But Yarra Valley Warer is doing considerable pipeline renewal in the area so perhaps all is not lost.
City of Yarra shows the way with cycling infrastructure
MeBUG member, Phil Mallis, who is also a transport planner at the City of Yarra, gave a talk at the 2024 AGM on cycling developments and plans in the City of Yarra. A number of projects both complete and planned were described.
This shows what is possible when councils understand the importance of cycling infrastructure and are willing to allocate appropriate funding.
See presentation ‘Biking Better in Yarra’, A new Deal for Cycling
August 2024 update
Whitehorse area
We have been lobbying Whitehorse Council to improve access to the Box Hill to Ringwood path in Nunawading and Mitcham by opening access to the Harvey Norman Lane, Richards and McGlone Streets. We have met and discussed issues with officers and councillor Stennett. After years of resistance, Council has agreed to implement these openings subject to agreement with the state government authority VicTrack. Council claims VicTrack have ignored approaches, so we have enlisted the assistance of local state MP, Will Fowles, the member for Ringwood, who has lodged an enquiry with VicTrack. The matter is ongoing.
Interconnection of the proposed Healesville Freeway Reserve path with the Pipe Reserve path has been followed up by David Simm, with local state MP John Mullahy. We are also pushing for the currently missing section of the Pipe Reserve path between Springvale Road and Mahoneys Road to be constructed.
MeBUG committee member Neil Wood has been selected to join the Shaping Whitehorse Community Panel. This should provide us with an additional forum to advocate for better cycling facilities in Whitehorse.
MeBUG president David Blom has urged Whitehorse Council to reconsider its decision not to apply for a grant under the State Government Thriving Suburbs Program. Had Council been better prepared and motivated, they could have applied for a grant of $0.5M or more, matching council contribution, for important cycling projects, such as interconnection of the Pipe Reserve and Box Hill to Ringwood paths.
Maroondah area
We provided Maroondah Council with some suggestions for its Transport Strategy 2024-25. These included the Ringwood to Ringwood East cycling connection, improvements to the Taralla Creek trail and improvements in the East Ringwood to Croydon path.
Monash area
We are pleased to note progress toward a shared state government and Council project to interconnect the Djerring trail with the Scotchmans Creek trail via an on road separated path along Atkinson Street Oakleigh.
We are also advocating for the completion of the Waverley Rail Trail between Jordanville and Mount Waverley.
Submission to Maroondah Council Bicycle Network Review
MeBUG has made a comprehensive submission to Maroondah Council as input to its Bicycle Network Review.
Whitehorse Council rejects all MeBUG cycling project suggestions
The Whitehorse Council budget for 2023/24 soon to be adopted by Council, does not contain any of the 24 projects MeBUG submitted back in October 2022. In a disappointing though predictable response, the council provides in most cases, superficial excuses for their rejection.
The only funding for cycling is a total of $363,000 for the Easy Rides project and a vague $51,000 for Bicycle facilities. Contrast this with $5.8m for sports grounds.