Project Update

Community consultation on effectively delivering improvements to provide our community with safe, connected, and convenient bike riding choices was conducted from Friday 25 August 2023 to Friday 15 September 2023.

We heard from 78 community members via an online survey hosted on this project page.

The responses clearly demonstrate that relationship between safety perception and riding frequency, with many non-confident riders feeling unsafe to ride a bike in Port Phillip.

When asked what can make them feel safer, some notable trends have emerged:

  • There is a strong demand for safer crossing options at intersections, by riders of all levels.
  • Junctions are recognized as hazardous spots for riders, causing unease among many and act as deterrence to bike riding.
  • Bike lanes are a key focus, with evident support for dedicated infrastructure to enhance riding safety in Port Phillip, may it be separated or painted lanes, with or without a buffer.
  • While a small share of respondents have shown support for sharrows in combination with other traffic calming measures to reduce car traffic speed and volume, respondents generally advocate for dedicated bike lanes (protected or not) on local streets with a speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour.
  • On main roads with speed limits exceeding 50 kilometres per hour, there's a notably higher preference for specifically protected and separated bike lanes, particularly among the less confident riders.

View the Engagement Report here or in the Document Library.

Project background

The strategy was endorsed in September 2018 through extensive engagement with residents, traders, students, workers, community groups, and industry and government stakeholders.

While most of the 42 actions identified in the strategy are on-track to be progressed (or have already been completed), challenges have been faced in delivering Action 18: 'Deliver a network of dedicated and continuous priority bike lanes to create safer routes for all ages and abilities.'

Of the 11 bicycle corridors identified in the strategy, only 2 have been completed: the Garden City link in Port Melbourne, and Moray Street in South Melbourne. This falls under the target identified of 4 protected bicycle corridors being delivered by 2021/22.

Following the Ordinary Council meeting on 16 August 2023 community input was sought to inform an alternative approach to effectively delivering improvements which provide our community with safe, connected and convenient bike riding choices. Thank you for sharing your experiences and perceptions of riding in Port Phillip.