Every day tens of thousands of bike trips are made into and through inner Melbourne. Every one of those riders gliding by is making a vital contribution to the city’s strong economy.
While private vehicle travel is a net economic negative for the central city, every bike is riding upwards in the economic benefits column.
Melbourne’s major employers can have more than 500 bikes parked in their end of trip facilities, lured there by the employee’s commitment to good health, reliable journey time and the first-rate facilities employers have invested in to attract the best people.
Employers, large and small, and in every sector, boast a regular and growing stream of determined bike commuters.
Because it is good for business.
Melbourne has been remarkably successful in attracting people on bicycles to employment and education within the municipality.
For more than two decades, the City of Melbourne has recognised the critical importance of people-welcoming streets in defining Melbourne’s identity, creating its attractive ambience and fostering commerce.
This strategy – reducing car dependence while encouraging active transport and public transport – has been the key to Melbourne’s transformation.
That is why successive council administrations have affirmed these plans and kept up steady investment in bike facilities, footpaths and public spaces.
As recently as April 2024 these strategies were reinforced and recommitted to by the council.
And we note that these strategies have not been changed since.
But now, for unexplained reasons, the city council has turned niggardly, slicing its proposed budget for bike infrastructure and reneging on recent decisions committing to a forward program of multi-year bike funding.
But this week Melburnians have had the opportunity to comment on this draft budget.
Bicycle Network CEO, Alison McCormack, reports: "I would like to update on the bike submissions in relation to the draft budget for the City of Melbourne.
"Firstly, we want to thank everybody, the community groups, the BUGs, the members, your submissions have had an impact.
"Yesterday, our Board Chair, James Garriock, myself and our Head of Policy met with Lord Mayor Nick Reece and his staff at the Town Hall.
"The Lord Mayor thanked everybody for their submissions. He noted that there were over 1,000 submissions and the majority were related to the bike funding, so thank you again. He also told us that they were important and would be taken into consideration.
"In the meeting, we confirmed what we need is for Nick Reece to keep his promise and provide $5 million of new City of Melbourne funding for four years, so that's the entire term of Council. We hope that this is taken into consideration.
"The committee meeting to hear from the public is on the 17th of June, so please note that there will be an update in your diaries and we will give you another update next week. Again, thank you so much, it really counts."
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