Bicycle Network: Metro Routes

Recreational Trails & Paths in Melbourne

Inner: Capital City Trail

Improving the Inner Circle Railway path from Flemington Bridge Rail Station to Rushall Rail Station. (Part of the Captial City Trail). The Capital City Trail overlaps with the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail, heads through Docklands and along the Main Yarra Trail through the CBD and inner eastern suburbs up to the junction with the Merri Creek.

Light show at Royal Park

06 March 2013. After dark riders on the Capital City Trail can now travel on a carpet of light past Royal Park Station after City of Melbourne installed twenty motion activated lights along the path .

The lights improve the visibility on this otherwise dark section of path and well as making people feel safer.

Motion activated lights help reduce energy consumption and the impact of light "pollution" on surrounding areas. The solar powered LED lights are also dimmable to support nocturnal animal species' habitat and require no electrical conduits or trenching in sensitive parkland.

Though the activation is timed for pedestrians (or slow riders) and sensing does not work so well away from the centre of the path, the project is a great example of how path lighting can help encourage more people to ride.

Many other sections of pathway in Australia could be a candidate for this innovative (and entertaining) lighting treatment.


Lights off.	Lights on.

Capital City Trail upgrade complete

11 February 2013. The upgrading of the Capital City Trail is now complete with the final 150 metre section between Bowen Crescent, Carlton North and The Avenue, Parkville reopened.

The trail is looking fab and is now upgraded between the Royal Melbourne Zoo and Merri Creek Trail.

City Trail upgrade

7 February 2012. The upgrading of the Capital City Trail is almost complete with work undewray on the final 150 metre section between Bowen Crescent, Carlton North and The Avenue, Parkville.

City of Melbourne is resurfacing and upgrading works along this short link to complement the ugrade works to the west, finalised recently by City of Melbourne, and upgrade works to the east, completed recently by City of Yarra.

A detour is in place for the next week, when the path will be reopened.

New Inner Circle Reserve (CCT) path open, North Carlton

13 June 2012. A new 3 metre wide concrete path between Nicholson and Lygon Streets has just been opened.

The path replaces a narrower asphalt path and provides a smooth riding experience. We are excited that the path features a pedestrian/cyclist priority crossing at the intersection with Amess Street.

This crossing is the first pedestrian/cyclist priority crossing in Yarra and is the third in Melbourne, after O’Hea Street, Coburg and St George’s Road, Northcote. We look forward to seeing the success of this new treatment along this busy trail.

City of Yarra will be at it again, in the 2012-213 financial year, Yarra Council will conduct works to improve the path between Lygon Street and Bowen Crescent, Princes Hill. Great work!

Capital City Trail upgrade

3 April 2012. The City of Yarra is embarking on the next stage of improvements to the Capital City Trail as it upgrades the Linear Park in North Carlton between Nicholson Street and Lygon Street over the next two months.

The upgrade will involve replacing part of the existing asphalt shared path with a three metre wide concrete path, with extra links to Park Street (see plan).

The path alignment will follow the existing path, except that the Amess Street crossing point will be shifted slightly northwards to provide bike riders and vehicles with more room to see one another at this intersection.

Pedestrians and riders will not have access to this route once work starts in a few weeks.

Bikes will be diverted to use Park Street cycle lanes, and pedestrians to use the Park Street footpath. On site signage will advise cyclists and pedestrians of the detours.

The upgrade is the third stage of works to be implemented from the Inner Circle Railway Linear Park Master Plan, which was adopted by Yarra Council following extensive community consultation.

In May 2011, the section of concrete path between St Georges Road and Brunswick Street North was re-aligned and widened while in November 2011 the path between Alfred Crescent and St Georges Road was also improved.

Royal Park upgrade to kick off the New Year

24 January 2012. Works to replace and upgrade many short sections of the Capital City Trail through Royal Park and the Zoo and Netball & Hockey Centre will kick off within a couple of weeks.

The City of Melbourne is replacing or rebuilding many of the path sections between Manningham Street, Park Street, Royal Parade and the Zoo grounds in an effort to upgrade this area popular as a recreational destination in its own right as well as a major section of the Capital City Trail.

Work is expected to begin in early February and last up to eight weeks, though it will be carried out in sections ensuring that the area will be passable by diversions and alternate routes.

Devious detour at Linear Park

20 April 2011. A welcome upgrade to the Capital City Trail in North Fitzroy will require a complicated detour during construction next month.

During May, Yarra City will realign the shared path in Linear Park Reserve, replacing the existing narrow asphalt track with a three metre wide concrete path.

The new facility will stretch from Brunswick Street North to St Georges Road.

The shared paths will not be accessible for riders or pedestrians during the works phase so alternate routes will need to be taken.

Park Street is suggested for eastbound bike traffic, and Railway Place/Byrne Street/Holden Street for westbound cyclists.

Caution should be taken when using these routes as Park Street is one way (eastbound) for all vehicles.

These detours are not ideal (see map), but the new path will be well worth the inconvenience.

Park Street footpath is the closest route for pedestrians.

The dislocation will be between Monday 2 May and Friday 27 May.

Good news on the Capital City Trail

July 2008.

Yarra City Council is fixing up the approaches to the Lygon Street crossing

Yarra has fixed up the eastern approach to Bowen Crescent and Princes Park.

The path on the western side of Rushall Station has also been upgraded.

Capital City Trail crossing Nicholson and Lygon Streets

May 2008.

The trail between Princes Park in the west and Rushall Station in the east is inside the boundary of the City of Yarra. To cross Lygon and Nicholson Streets the trail moves north into the City of Moreland. Both of these crossings are inadequate.

Bicycle Network Victoria has written to the City of Moreland as follows:

We are writing about the two sections of the Capital City Trail which are in the City of Moreland. These are the crossings of Lygon and Nicholson Streets.

Both crossings are poorly aligned. The crossings are also narrow, poorly surfaced and in many other ways inadequate.

We ask the City to improve the approaches to both the crossings.

We note that the City is tendering for the re-leasing of the Video Ezy store. We are disappointed that the revenue from the previous leases of the site has not been put into improving the trail.

We note that the Council's objective (4.4) in the lease document for the Video Ezy Store is to 'ensure that the existing shared bicycle and pedestrian path on land controlled by Council and the City of Yarra is realigned through the Premises in order to improve access from and egress to Nicholson Street Brunswick East for cyclists and pedestrians. We also note that the tender requires detailed plans and specifications for this (7.5.2).

We would appreciate a chance to comment on those plans. We are unsure if an adequate alignment can be achieved in the space between the east wall of the building and the crossing.

Council may be aware that City of Yarra is in discussions with Yarra Trams over a tram stop in that location. A combined tram stop and crossing solution is worth exploring and we ask that any works done by the City or its leasees fit in with such a plan.