Bicycle Network: Funding & Budgets

Bicycles cross a range of different categories, including transport, sport, recreation, health and tourism.

The type of facility involved will determine the type of funding the project is eligible for. Here is a guide to funding for:

• Main roads
• Local roads
• Shared paths and trails.

Main roads

VicRoads is responsible for bike lanes on main roads. Local councils can apply to the VicRoads Bicycle Facilities Program for funding bike lanes on main roads that have been identified as part of the Principal Bicycle Network (PBN) in Melbourne or Priority Bicycle Routes (PBR) in regional towns.

If you are considering applying for funds from the VicRoads Bicycle Program in your area, now is the time to be doing it!VicRoads welcomes submissions for the VicRoads Bicycle Program at any time and is currently considering submissions for the 07/08 year and beyond.

You should be speaking to your relevant region of VicRoads who will then put submissions formally to the VicRoads Bicycle Facilities Program.

The Victorian Government has recently promised an increase to VicRoads funding for cycling and walking facilities from $4 million per year to over $10.4 million per year, for the next ten years ($64 million total new funds) as a part of the Transport and Liveability Statement.

For more see information on the Municipal Bicycle Network (MBN) see VicRoads website. VicRoads will also install bike facilities on main roads as part of regular road upgrades.

Shoulder-sealing as part of a road safety initiative can provide the opportunity to mark bike lanes.

Local roads

Local councils are responsible for developing the network of local paths and bike lanes on local roads in their municipality. These local routes should compliment the arterial trail network and arterial road network and allow residents to make local trips to schools, shops and facilities.

Councils should allocate an annual funding amount in their budget to construct and expand the local bike network. See below for potential funding sources for shared paths.

Australian Government Regional Partnerships

Australian Government Roads to Recovery

Roads to Recovery Program

The Federal Government Roads to Recovery Program aims to help councils meet the cost of providing and upgrading road and footpath infrastructure. All councils are eligible for additional spending from the program until 30 June 2009.

This is an excellent opportunity for your council to make improvements to your walking and cycling networks. Local government can use Roads to Recovery funding for bike paths, bike lanes, pedestrian bridges and rail trails.

Funding Conditions for the program can be viewed at Roads to Recovery Funding Conditions. For information about the Programme, please contact Stan Marks (02 6274 7350) or Allan Chisholm (02 6274 7466).

The Programme's email address is auslink@dotars.gov.au

Shared paths

In Melbourne Parks Victoria formerly provided 1:1 funding with local government for the Metropolitan Trail Network. This network has been outlined Parks Victoria's Open Space Strategy, 'Linking People and Spaces' and is funded through the MTN Fund.

In 2006 a number of major projects on the Metropolitan Trail Network (MTN)  recieved a major financial boost as a part of the Transport and Liveability Statement, however the MTN fund is still underfunded at $1m per year.

As of late 2011, Parks Victoria has been removed from delivering the MTN, and it is unclear at this point how the Network will be funded, and by what Department.

In regional Victoria the Department of Sport & Recreation provides funding for important trail links.

Rail trails

Since most rail trails are on Crown Land, the Department for Sustainability & Environment (DSE) is legally responsible for rail trails. Commonly this responsibility is passed onto community or council based Committees of Management.

There is are three major funding programs for rail trails, they are:

• Pravincial Pathways Program
• The Small Towns Development Fund - an existing fund that now mentions Rail trails as a high priority. 2:1 matched funding up to $250,000, great for samller projects.
• Regional Partnerships Program - A federal government initiative that has given $1.5m (combined) to the East Gippsland and Warrnambool to Port Fairy Rail Trails.

What Bicycle Network Victoria is doing

Bicycle Network Victoria is working hard to ensure that adequate funding is provided to allow expansion and improvement to all four networks. This includes meeting with Ministers and government officials and making submissions to numerous strategies and planning reports.

We are requesting substantial increases in funding for bicycle networks.