Bicycle Network: Take Action

MTN now managed by Department of Sustainability and Environment

Recently DSE have reviewed the delivery of the MTN assets and have decided to primarily be responisble for the delivery of the MTN, with the cooperation and assistance of other landowners.

Accordingly, they are reviewing the strategy for the development of recreation trails within Metropolitan Melbourne.  We anticipate that the new strategy for recreation trails will be released around the beginning of 2013.

Parks metro trail network gets $1.2M in 2010-11

12 May 2010. The extensive metropolitan trail network of Parks Victoria will move a little further along the track to completion with a further $1.2M from this year's State Budget.

Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings said the Government will fund 15 projects through the Parks Victoria Metropolitan Trail Network Grants Program in 2010/11.

“Melbourne has an extensive network of shared trails which create a fantastic link between the city’s recreational precincts, open spaces, public transport and local trails,” Mr Jennings said.

“This annual funding goes toward filling gaps in the trail network, which will eventually provide a fully off-road experience for all trail users across Melbourne. The trails will add to the increasing number of opportunities to get around metropolitan Melbourne by bike or foot.

“We now have almost 700km of regional off-road trails along areas including parklands, rivers and streams, creating recreational opportunities for cyclists and pedestrians and contributing to Melbourne’s status as one of the world’s most liveable cities."

Projects receiving funding from this year’s program include:

• Bay Trail in St Kilda, Elwood and Frankston;
• Darebin Creek Trail in Reservoir;
• Hallam Valley Trail in Berwick;
• Kororoit Creek Trail in Altona North;
• Maribyrnong River / Jacksons Creek trail in Keilor North, Diggers Rest and Sunbury;
• Mullum Mullum Creek Trail in Donvale;
• Brushy Creek Trail in Chirnside Park;
• Arnolds Creek Trail in Melton;
• Maroondah Aqueduct Trail in Greensborough and Diamond Creek;
• Mitcham to Syndal Pipe Track in Burwood East and Forest Hill;
• Skeleton Creek Trail in Hoppers Crossing; and
• Belgrave to Lysterfield Trail in Belgrave Heights.

Further progress reports on individual projects will be appear on this website in the coming months.

2008-09 Funding program

The following is a copy of the press release:

Friday, 24 October 2008 The Brumby Government today announced a $2 million program to complete pivotal links on metropolitan bike trails across Melbourne.

Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings announced funding for 16 projects including 11 under the Parks Victoria metropolitan trail network grants program in 2008-09 as well as five projects under the ‘Trails for a Liveable City’ and ‘Urban Parks and Trails’ initiatives.

“Melbourne’s extensive network of shared trails creates a link between this city’s recreational precincts, open space, public transport and local trails,” Mr Jennings said.

“We now have almost 700 kilometres of off-road trails along areas including parklands, rivers and streams and creating recreational opportunities for cyclists and pedestrians. The trails are also proving a popular route for many people to travel to work, increasing opportunities for sustainable transport and improving the health of Victorians.

“The Brumby Government is taking action to fill gaps in the trail network with the aim of achieving our goal of providing a fully off-road cycling experience across Melbourne.”

2008/2009 GRANTS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT - Metropolitan Trail Network

• City of Darebin – Darebin Creek Trail: To complete underpass under Darebin Road, $194,000,
• City of Moreland – Merri Creek Trail: Complete trail from Moomba Park to Ring Road, $35,672,
• City of Wyndham – Werribee River Trail: Complete trail from Cottrell St to Wyndham Park, $175,000,
• City of Casey – Hallam Valley Trail: Planning and design of trail between Hallam South Rd and Menindee Terrace, $25,000,
• City of Yarra – Merri Creek Trail: Rushall Station Bypass trail realignment, $130,677,
• City of Manningham – Mullum Mullum Creek Trail - Planning and design of the final stage of trail between Park Rd and the EastLink Trail, $112,500,
• Yarra Bend Trust – Main Yarra Trail: Design of Yarra Boulevard trail realignment, $50,000,
• City of Maroondah – Tarralla Creek Trail: To complete Vinter Ave to Eastfield Rd, $49,000,
• City of Banyule – Plenty River Trail: Partingtons Flat to Greensborough Hwy realignment, $166,000 and Parks Victoria – Plenty River Trail: Stage 2 of planning for Greensborough Hwy to Yan Yean Reservoir, $40,000,
• Shire of Melton – Arnolds Creek: Complete trail between Westlakes Reserve to Arnolds Creek Estate, $22,250,

Trails for a Liveable City Initiative

• City of Banyule – Darebin Creek Trail: To construct the trail under the Heidelberg Rd Bridge to Sparks Reserve, $340,000,
• City of Yarra – Main Yarra Trail: Design of Clark St Bridge (Gipps St Stairs bypass), $150,000,
• City of Frankston – Bay Trail: Construct trail between Wells Street and Beach Street, $250,000 as well as $45,000 construct trail between the Landmark Bridge and Dune Boardwalk.

Urban Parks and Trails Initiative

• City of Brimbank – Kororoit Creek Trail: Planning and design for gaps in Albanvale and Deer Park, $200,000; and
• City of Kingston – Bay Trail: Planning & design between Parkers and Charman Rds, $60,000.

Metropolitan Trail Network 2007-08 projects announced by the Premier

October 2007. Premier John Brumby and Gavin Jennings, Minister for the Environment have announced over $1 million for this years projects on the Metropolitan Trail Network.

The projects cover Melbourne and most of them will get more people riding their bikes more often. Particularly good projects are the link between the Kororoit Creek Trail to the Federation Trail in the City Brimbank and some new trails along the Hallam Main Drain in the City of Casey. These trails will see more people riding for fun and also more children riding to school.

Bicycle Network Victoria believes that more annual funding is required for the Metropolitan Trail Network to reach its full potential. Unfortunately the current level of funding cannot meet the demand for new paths across Melbourne, connections across critical missing links, and much needed upgrades across the network.

Metropolitan Trail Network 2006-07 projects announced by the Premier

In August 2006 the Premier Steve Bracks and the Mayor of the City of Casey announced funding for a number of projects across the Metropolitan Trail Network. The total amount of funding is just over $1 million for this financial year, which will be matched by local governments.

The list of funded projects is linked on the right of the page. While most of the projects on the list are good projects, we are hopeful that next year will see a stronger field of applicants to the fund. If you can't see your favourite path project on the list it might be time to contact your council to ask why they didn't apply. 

Metropolitan Trail Network fund established

May 2005. The state government needs to spend more money on bike paths. Visit our State Government page for state budget information. 

What we've said

We have been saying to the Government – especially John Thwaites who has the responsibility for Parks Victoria – that you want more bike paths built.

• You want works in the inner city such as removing the staircase on the Yarra path (Melway 2D A11)
• You want connections completed in the middle suburbs such as the Darebin Bridge (Melway 31 E12) and the Gardiners Creek connection in Ashburton
• You want the Bay Trail to connect to Point Cook in the west and Frankston in the east.
• You want the paths to reach Warrandyte, Mornington and the new suburbs in the north
• You want paths in the newer suburbs – places like Casey have lots of kids but no paths.

We have explained that you need paths:

• to have fun with your friends and family
• to get some exercise and keep yourself out of hospital
• for trips to work and school when it’s possible.

We have said that you think that this would be a great investment – good for us and future generations.

Linking People and Spaces

Released in 2002, the open space strategy for Melbourne, 'Linking People and Spaces' includes plans for a 1,200km long Melbourne-wide arterial trail network: the Metropolitan Trail Network.Bicycle Network Victoria worked closely with Parks Victoria to develop this vision for a network of off-road paths for Melbourne.

The Metropolitan Trail Network vision is an arterial, off-road network that links Melbourne’s open spaces, foreshore areas and waterways. This network will be Parks Victoria’s equivalent to VicRoads' Principal Bicycle Network.

The Metropolitan Trail Network will help government focus its funding on paths that are strategically important to Melbourne. The vision will help attract more funding and build an even bigger and better network of paths. This is one of the State Government’s major infrastructure plans for the next 15 years.

'Linking People and Spaces' gives high priority for completing critical trail gaps and important new paths.

High priority projects

Some of the projects that Bicycle Network Victoria sees as high priorities are:

• the Capital City Trail on the north bank of the Yarra River from Princes Bridge to Charles Grimes Bridge and Docklands (Melway 43 D10 to J9)
• the re-routing of the Yarra Trail in Collingwood to the right bank from Gipps St to the Walmer St bridge (Melway 44 F6 to H7). This would eliminate three sets of stairs, two bridge crossings and a significant hill
• connecting the Darebin Creek Trail to the Yarra Trail in Alphington/Kew
• the connection from Lilydale Railway Station to the start of the Lilydale–Warburton Rail Trail including a bridge over the Maroondah Hwy
• completing other key gaps in the Capital City Trail by 2006 so that people can ride to the Commonwealth Games venues, making the games truly green and leaving a lasting health legacy through more active people.

Important new paths

These include:

• the Kororoit and Skeleton Ck paths linking the Bay Trail to the Federation Trail in Melbourne’s west (Melway 53 and 54)
• completing the Bay Trail from Sorrento to Frankston
• completing the path from Ringwood to Lilydale.

The arterial off-road network will be complemented by local off-road networks developed by individual Councils and on-road facilities.

Where is the development of the Metropolitan Trail Network (MTN) at?

The MTN is about half finished but most people in outer Melbourne do not have access to the type of trail network available in the inner city. A Newspoll survey February 2004 showed that only 40% of those in the outer suburbs have access to a bike path while 70% of those in the inner suburbs do.

See link to the General Manager's message for an update on the MTN and government spending on the project as of October 2003.

Metropolitan Trail Network 2006-07 projects announced by the Premier.

October 05. After Bicycle Network Victoria members wrote over 500 letters earlier this year, Minister Thwaites has announced a new fund for the Metropolitan Trail Network (MTN). Funding for the MTN now meets the government’s 2002 election promise; however more money will be needed to fund critical projects.

Parks Victoria now has a specific fund for the Metropolitan Trail Network. Previously funding has been either non-existent or difficult to secure through the agency grants process. Bicycle Network Victoria is very happy with the development of this fund and congratulates the Minister for providing funding security for the MTN.

The recent announcement by Minister Thwaites brings annual funding of the MTN up to one million dollars for 2005-2006. This now meets the 2002 election promise of one million dollars per year for the MTN. Unfortunately no funding was delivered for the first two years after the election and only $600,000 was delivered in 2004-2005.

View the list of funded projects that will be delivered in 2005-2006.

Bicycle Network Victoria is pleased that the election promise is now being met and is keen to see the funding grow over the next four years.

The current funding commitment will provide significant improvement to Melbourne's trail network. However additional funds will be required for the following:

• Critical and urgent projects that need to be completed. The current MTN fund will not be able to deliver projects such as realigning the Main Yarra Trail in Abbotsford (eliminating three sets of stairs, two bridge crossings and a significant hill), connecting the Darebin Creek Trail to the Yarra Trail in Alphington/Kew, and the connection from Lilydale Railway Station to the start of the Lilydale–Warburton Rail Trail including a bridge over the Maroondah Hwy.
• Extending and improving the network in growing suburbs and areas that currently have poor facilities. Examples include Casey and Whittlesea City Councils.
• Completing critical missing links in the current network such as the Gardiners Creek trail to Warragul Road, Scotchmans Creek trail to Jells Park, and linking the Dandenong Creek trail to the Ferny Creek trail

We believe that $5 Million per year is required to complete, improve and extend the network.

The development of the new fund provides all trail users with an opportunity to thank Minister Thwaites for developing the MTN fund. You can email Minister Thwaites at john.thwaites@minstaff.vic.gov.au. You may also like to mention the need for additional funding for the network, especially for critical major projects that are currently unfunded. Don't forget to bcc us at campaigns@bv.com.au.