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Whittlesea features bikes in new transport plan

The City of Whittlesea in Melbourne’s north is developing an integrated transport plan and is seeking public input.

A policy review found a strong desire for council and the community to achieve a more sustainable, vibrant and healthy city in the future, with less reliance on motor vehicles.

Whittlesea has a transport system dominated by car use. An almost 60% increase in population is forecast by 2041 and if if significant steps are not taken to increase the diversity of transport options, Whittlesea may become a less vibrant place to live and work.

The council has published two documents – a background paper and a directions paper – to guide community input on the plan.

The background paper reveals that more than half of the municipality's population is overweight, and nearly 36% of people engage in less than an hour of physical activity per week.

You can take a survey or add a pin to the map to highlight an issue of concern at the webpage

The directions paper offers the following guiding principles to inform Council’s work as it begins the process of developing the transport program:

  •  Activity centres are vibrant and people-focused, allowing everyone to participate fully in our community and economy.
  • Public transport offers available transport options with fast, frequent, and accessible trains, trams and buses.
  • Public transport hubs are connected with safe and convenient walking and cycling networks.
  • Walking and cycling are the first choice for short trips, supported by safe, connected, and well- designed networks.
  • Implementation of a SafeSystems approach will ensure our road network is designed so that everyone can travel safely across Whittlesea.
  • Fatalities and lifelong injuries are no longer acceptable on our streets. We are committed to Vision Zero for transport safety.
  • Creating better choices: Transport choice is available for everyone, so that for every trip, people can choose the best mode for them and the community.
  • Demand for car use is reduced to support Council’s vision and objectives.
  • We commit to NetZero emissions in our transport network, including a transition towards zero emission vehicles and increasing sustainable mobility.

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