By Sahar Foladi
The numbers of bicycle riders are on the rise post Covid in Greater Dandenong but gaps remain in the bike-riding network.
According to Garry Brennan from Bicycle Network, riders are increasing year by year.
“Our membership is growing in the Greater Dandenong and surrounding areas particularly as the population ages more people are retiring and looking for healthy activities.”
The completion of the path on Dandenong railway line between Yarraman station and Central Dandenong is a “priority project” for the network.
“There are plans for it to be continued into central Dandenong. The City of Greater Dandenong has completed visibility studies on the route that it will take and it’s awaiting funding by the State Government.”
City of Greater Dandenong’s engineering director Paul Kearsley said the council is advocating to the Victorian Government for a number of major cycling infrastructure projects.
“Council is also seeking funding to address gaps in the Eastlink Trail, along the Cranbourne Rail line and surface upgrades to the Dandenong Creek Trail in Bangholme,” Mr Kearsley said.
The council is considering ongoing funding for its cycling infrastructure through its Active Transport Infrastructure Priority Program for 2023-’24.
However, for Mitchell Wood PE teacher in Keysborough Secondary College there are not enough bike lanes and crossings for students to ride their bicycles to school.
“There are not as many bike lanes around the college as I would like for our students. A couple of major roads like Chandler Road should have bike lanes but don’t.”
The school is encouraging students to use active alternatives to get to school ahead of the upcoming National Ride2School annual event.
“There are also not many crossing options for our students to walk their bike over. There’s more improvement that could be done,” Mr Wood said.
This could be one of the many reasons why there’s only eight schools out of 99 schools in Greater Dandenong registered with the Bicycle Network.
Keysborough Secondary College – Acacia campus, Keysborough Gardens Primary School, Dandenong South PS, Dandenong North PS, Springvale Rise PS – Springvale and Heights campus, Carwatha College P-12 and St Gerard’s PS are the only ones registered.
Similiarly, the council’s Get Active Get Moving initiative for an active and healthy community in Greater Dandenong has only 12 schools registered.
The “considerable gaps” in bike infrastructure network are meanwhile being filled opportunistically.
“Whenever there’s a rail, road or water project the authorities will attempt to construct a path for cycling and walking at the same time,” Mr Brennan said.
“There are projects in the east where new biking infrastructure is being provided but we have some time to go before all those components are connected together.”
