We completed extensive community engagement, research and analysis to make sure the Boroondara Bicycle Strategy is relevant, achievable and meets the needs of the community:
- We looked at the existing issues and how we could fix these.
- We confirmed our vision and goals for our bicycle network.
- We consulted with our community to make sure our vision and goals met their needs.
- We confirmed our actions and initiatives to achieve our vision and goals.
We also looked at other relevant state and local government plans and policies.
This included the:
What we heard from the community
We received feedback from the community, local organisations and professional stakeholders to help develop the draft Strategy. We completed stakeholder workshops, targeted interviews, online and hard copy surveys, and accepted written submissions.
We then received feedback on the draft Strategy to help us develop the final Boroondara Bicycle Strategy.
We heard the following main messages from the community during our consultation.
Safety concerns
The community told us that safety is a major concern, especially when riding on-road and having to compete with cars and trams. We heard that safety concerns are the main barrier to riding more often.
Pedestrian safety
The community told us that interaction between bicycle riders and pedestrians is a key concern. We heard that cyclists' high travel speeds and rude or irresponsible behaviour put pedestrians at risk. This included older people, people with disability, children and dogs.
Bicycle riders on off-road paths
Cyclists in the community told us they feel much safer on off-road or separated bike paths. However, other people using these paths said they want to enjoy a more relaxed, leisurely experience. They said they feel unsafe or uncomfortable sharing the off-road paths with bicycle riders. The community wants to avoid adding more bicycle traffic, particularly on informal paths in reserves and parklands.
Poorly maintained bicycle network
The community told us that the existing bicycle network doesn’t allow for safe and efficient riding within and through Boroondara. The community believes the network is poorly maintained and difficult to navigate.
Lack of connection in the bicycle network
The community told us that the bicycle network in Boroondara isn’t well connected. This includes the bike paths that connect with Strategic Cycling Corridors and public transport. We learned that Hawthorn, Kew and Camberwell have the largest number of unsafe areas, mostly located along on-road bike routes and gaps in off-road trails.
Too much congestion and competition
The community told us that congestion and competition between cars, trams, buses and bikes for limited road space is a major concern. This can create an aggressive and dangerous environment for bicycle riders, especially with parked vehicles in bike lanes. The community also told us that congestion on busy shared paths is a key issue.
Protect the natural environment
The community told us that it’s important to protect our natural environment. This includes our trees, waterways and animals. The community preferred to keep our unsealed gravel paths instead of adding sealed concrete or asphalt surfaces.
Travel speeds of e-bikes and e-scooters
The community told us they are concerned about the travel speed of e-bikes and e-scooters. They requested ways to enforce and manage travel speeds on off-road paths to improve safety.
The Strategy needs to work well with other plans
The community told us that the Boroondara Bicycle Strategy needs to work well with other transport plans. This includes plans from surrounding local government areas, as well as state-wide bicycle plans and networks. The community also wanted to make sure our strategy was in line with Boroondara's Integrated Transport Strategy and Open Space Strategy.
Occasional bicycle riders
We learned that occasional bicycle riders have similar priorities and concerns as more regular, confident bicycle riders. We also learned that occasional bicycle riders are less likely to ride on the road or close to traffic.
Improved community consultation process
The community told us they want more detailed consultation for certain actions outlined in our Strategy. Some people who took part in our consultation felt that the process was too broad. They felt that endorsement of the Strategy would exclude detailed input from the local community and the ability to think about different options.
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