Bicycle Network: Directory

Ballarat riders - drafting of council Budget 2013/14 underway

05 March 2013. As you read this Council is preparing its draft 2013/14 Budget. The time to act is now for more bike infrastructure funding!

As a ratepayer and rider now is the time for Council to hear from you if you want more funding to improve the local riding environment.

Click here to tell your Council to invest in bike infrastructure (E-mail contact for Council provided) in the 2013/14 Budget.

Bicycle Expenditure Index (BiXE) 2012

15 November 2012. The City of Ballarat’s BiXE rating for 2012 is $7.80. This is above the Regional Zone council average for 2012, which is $6.47. This is based upon council spending of $763,163 and population of 97,810.

Relevant bicycle related investment for the 2012/2013 financial year includes but is not necessarily limited to expenditure upon the following projects/programs:
• Stage 1 of the review of the bicycle plan for the town
• Bicycle strategy projects: Eureka Street and Avenue of Honour
• Minor asset capital program (cycling assets): Including Ballarat Maryborough Road, Miners Rest; Greenhill Road, Mount Helen; Sturt Street/Gillies Street, Alfredton (New asphalt path from Ballarat High School to Gillies Street); Scott Parade, Bakery Hill; Warrenheip Road, Warrenheip; Yarrowee/Canadian Trails, Central; weed control edge of paths (various locations); and resurfacing existing bicycle paths (various locations)
• Major asset capital renewal on parts of the following roads/bicycle paths: Including Vickers Street, Sebastopol; Kopkes Road, Haddon (Sago Hill Road to Skipton Rail Trail); Docwra Street Bridge, Magpie; Learmonth Sulky Road, Learmonth; Ti Tree Road, Warrenheip; Hopetoun Street, Ballarat; Peel Street, Ballarat; Springs Road, Glen Park ; Sturt Street Service Road Stage 2, Alfredton; Pleasant Street South Stage 2, Redan; Doug Dean Link Road; Scott Parade Stage 2, Brown Hill; Forest Street Stage 4, Wendouree; Hillview Road, Brown Hill; Violet Grove, Wendouree; Doveton Street South, Central; Macarthur Street/Ligar Street, Ballarat North; Darling Street/Ascot Street, Redan; Macdonald Street, Ballarat East; and Simpson Street, Buninyong

Additional spending sourced from external grants and funds may apply, but that is outside the scope of BiXE reporting.

The City of Ballarat achieved a five-year BiXE average of $7.45. This is above the Regional Zone council five-year average for 2012, which is $5.95.

See full BiXE report available here.

VoteBike - Local Council Elections 2012

27 October 2012. Local council elections are being held in Victoria on October 27 2012. Bicycle Network Victoria is once again running VoteBike that allows you to engage with potential candidates on local cycling issues. We will collect statements from candidates about their commitment to cycling in Ballarat and publish them on the VoteBike Facebook event page for you to comment on.

Bicycle Network Victoria has identified the following key projects for the City of Ballarat that need the support of local councilors: 

• Ballarat City Centre to University - The path between the city centre and the University in Mt Clear is a fantastic link desperately in need of upgrade and completion.
• Wendouree Rail Trail - A shared trail in the rail reserve from Ballarat to Wendouree would provide a off-road route between these centres.
• Skipton Rail Trail connection into Ballarat Central - Continue upgrades and maintenance along this trail.
• Ride2School - Continue to provide safe routes to schools foster healthy transport options for kids and reduce peak morning traffic congestion by up to 20%.
• Outer urban planning for new developments - Planning cycling networks in new urban growth zone developments is key to providing healthy transport and recreation options for families and children.
• Curb out parking in activity centres - Get behind vibrant shopping strips by supporting on street bike parking.

To view candidate statements for Ballarat go to our Find a Candidate page. Or to comment on candidate statements as well as voice your support for particular local cycling projects, visit our Facebook events page for Ballarat.

VoteBike allows you to have your say and make sure your vote counts for improved cycling conditions in your local area.

Ballarat looking to 'take the next step'. 

Jun 07 City of Ballarat have asked for tenders to deliver their Bicycle Strategy for 2008-2013.

Council bike spending recieves a boost

May 06 The City of Ballarat's draft budget for 2007/08 has over $330,000 for bike specific spending, which is up from $130,000 for this year. This is great news for Ballarat bike riders and is in part a result of campaigning from the Ballarat Bicycle User group - Balbug.

The draft budget still needs to be adopted by council. Click here to email the mayor to thank him for the draft budget and to urge him to pass it unchanged.

Lake Wendouree circuit bypasses

Jun 05. Cyclists using the popular Lake Wendouree cycling circuit will now find it safer thanks to three new bypass allowing cyclists to avoid the traffic at roundabouts.

Rudy Novotny from Ballarat BUG describes the intersections with the roundabouts as “very dangerous” and is pleased that the new 1.5m bypasses are “wide and easily accessible”.

Bike map

Jun 05 The BUG is also working with Council on a new Ballarat Bicycle map. The process of identifying the bicycle facilities has been an interesting one for the BUG. “We can see what bits are missing” says Rudy. This helps to identify projects that need to be carried out.

Local elections see some bike-friendly councillors elected

Nov 04 Council elections have seen a majority of councillors elected who support the completion of vital cycling projects in Ballarat.

Bicycle Network Victoria and the Ballarat Bicycle Users Group interviewed candidates in the lead up to the election. We asked them :

Q1.Will you vote for the installation of bike lanes on Sturt St to Lake Wendouree and Ballarat High School?

Q2. Will you vote for $200,000 per annum in the council budget to commence implementation of the Ballarat Bicycle Strategy?

Q3.Will you vote for the construction of an off-road trail to connect the Ballarat-Skipton Rail Trail to Lake Wendouree and the Ballarat Railway Station?

The responses of the elected councillors are given below. With most councillors supporting the projects there is a real promise that the projects will be completed in this councils term. The projects will see a real improvement in cycling condition and build on the liveability and tourism of the City of Ballarat.

Sturt St bike lanes

Feb 04 With no new bike lanes constructed last year, we met with traffic engineers at Ballarat Council to discuss developing concept designs for installing bike lanes on Sturt St, an important link through the heart of the city. The key tasks to an even better bicycle network in Ballarat are:

• ensuring that future works are built to a high standard; some existing bike lanes are narrower than the minimum 1.5m next to parked cars.
• constructing bike facilities on other key routes. These include Sturt St and the loop around the mall, both identified as priorities in the Ballarat Bicycle Plan;
•  connecting existing routes.

Bicycle Network Victoria will continue working with Ballarat City Council to ensure this happens.

Ballarat-Skipton Rail Trail

See link (right) for information on the rail trail.

Ring Road Path

Jan 04 The popular commuter route to McCains and Mars factories has been completed with a crossing of the railway line constructed. Riders now do not have to cross the road each time they want to cross the rail line. Pity about the chicanes and riders dismount signs though, we don't think they are needed.