The Greens have pledged a funding package for bike riding and walking that would see bike superhighways built across Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Speaking at Carlton Gardens today, Greens transport spokesperson Sam Hibbins announced that $2.5 billion dollars would be invested over the next four years to build hundreds of kilometres of safe and separated bike superhighways.
The Greens announcement was timely, as today was National Ride2Work Day.
Sam Hibbins said that The Greens’ ‘Big Bike Build’ will also go towards creating more safe pedestrian crossings, upgraded footpaths and walkable neighbourhoods.
“Increasing numbers of people are walking or riding around their local community and many more want to do so if they feel safe,” Mr Hibbins said, “but the Victorian Government allocates only around 1% of its transport infrastructure budget to bike riding and walking”.
The United Nations recommends that 20 per cent of federal transport funding per annum should be allocated to non-motorised transport.
Ireland recently announced that it will allocate 20 per cent of its transport budget to active travel projects, almost three times the budget allocation earmarked for other forms of urban transport.
The Greens’ plan would move Victoria towards the goal of active transport funding being 10 - 20 per cent of transport capital funding as recommended by the United Nations.
A key component of the Greens’ proposed funding package would be the state’s first ‘Bike Superhighway’, a 21 kilometre safe separated bike lane from Elsternwick to Coburg, and travelling along some of Melbourne’s busiest and most dangerous routes, including St Kilda Road, Royal Parade, Flemington Road and Sydney Road.
Become our friend
Find out more about Bicycle Network and support us in making it easier for people to ride bikes.