Bicycle Network: Bike Futures Services

22 July 2011.  Findings of the Melton BikeScope include:

The majority of riders in Melton fall either into the High Intensity - Recreation or Low Intensity - Recreation categories. Melton is seen as more of a recreation  recreational riding area than a transport riding area.   

Around 20% of respondents ride on average 1 day a week, with another 16% of respondents riding 2 days a week and 15% riding 3 days a week.

Over 52% of respondents indicated that they ride between 20 and 100 kilometres per week, with a further 10.3% of respondents riding between 100 and 200 kilometres per week.

The main reason people ride a bike in Melton is for health and fitness.  See adjacent graph.  A comparitvely low riding to work percentage may be reflective of Melton's lack of connections to surrounding areas although stronger connections to the train station may address this lack of commuting opportunity by bike.

The majority of respondents believed that bike riding in Melton has improved over the last 5 years.

Respondents indicated that the most popular destinations for riders within the Shire of Melton were Caroline Springs, Melton and Toolern Vale.

17.6% of respondents identified the CBD as the most popular external (outside of the Shire of Melton) destination, followed by Gisborne (9.1%).

Off-road travel is the most popular method for respondents to travel to their desired destinations (56.1%) and only 37% prefer on-road travel.

The most popular on-road routes in the Shire of Melton is Coburns Road (13.3%) with the improvements preferred for this route including widening and completion of bike lanes.

The following main road routes were identified as requiring improvement (rank order): Coburns Road (Separate Bike Lanes), Western Highway (Off road path alongside this route) and High Street & Gisborne-Melton Road (Bike lanes).

The following off-road routes / shared paths were identified as requiring improvements: Toolern Creek (Surface), Kororoit Creek (Surface) and All (Marked separation/widening).

38.3% of respondents do not normally park their bike in the Shire of Melton – compared to other municipalities, this is a relatively high figure.

Over 43% of respondents identify more/better bike paths as a key factor for non-regular riders to ride more often.

14 February 2011.  Bicycle Network Victoria and the Shire of Melton invite all local residents who ride in and through the municipality, and those who do not ride regularly to complete an on-line BikeScope Survey, between 15 February and 14 March 2011. Go in to the draw to have the chance to win a great prize. The Shire of Melton will use the survey date to inform their planning and building of new, better bike infrastructure.