Victorian State Election 2018
Election tracker
We’re tracking and grading the commitments made by Victoria’s major parties against the areas that matter to us: bikes, health and transport.
Make sure your vote counts for bikes this election.
Victoria Votes
How are they tracking?
Announcements, commitments and promises are coming in thick and fast from all parties with the election campaign officially kicking off.
Below, we’ll track the major announcements that may directly or indirectly impact people who ride.
We’ve also graded them against our own election priorities and key asks. Check out Bicycle Network priorities this Victorian election.
Some of the commitments are broad and taken directly from election platforms, others are specific projects or policies.
Have we missed a commitment? Our tracker will be updated regularly. But if there’s an announcement we’ve missed, please let us know at campaigns@bicyclenetwork.com.au
BIKES
LABOR
- St Kilda Road centre bike lanes
- $200,000 scoping study and business case for upgrading the Walmer St Bridge in Richmond.
- Major expansion of the trails network in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
- Labor’s Election platform (p.71) references a commitment to provide better bike infrastructure and improving links for people who ride and walk.
- Creation of 6,500 hectares of parkland and new walking and bike trails right across Melbourne – including a 355 hectare chain of parks running from Moorabbin to Dingley Village with walking and bike trails, the Plenty River Trail, building another 17 kilometres of walking and cycling trail stretching from Mernda to the Western Ring Road at Greensborough
GRADE: C+
Some significant bike infrastructure commitments, but no ongoing funding for Ride2School or polices/programs that make it easier to ride.
LIBERAL/COALITION:
- Great Southern Ocean Rail Trail Feasibility study
- Sadly the Coalition’s ‘Get Victoria Moving‘ policy paper doesn’t mention bikes.
- Supports minimum passing distance legislation
GRADE: C
No commitments to improving bike infrastructure other than one rail trail. No mention of bikes in policy paper either. However, pledged support for minimum passing distance law.
GREENS:
- $250M commitment to boost bike riding which includes:
- 17km continuous bike corridor from Coburg to Elsternwick along St Kilda and Sydney Roads
- The expansion of regional bike tourism and Melbourne bike share
- A cycling safety campaign to make drivers and cyclists aware of their responsibilities on sharing the road,
- a Parliamentary Inquiry of existing cycling laws focusing on the safety, accessibility and barriers to cycling.
- Metropolitan Bike Network
- Work to develop & implement strategies to deliver safe cycling opportunities for women.
- Funding cycling infrastructure independant of road projects
- Cycling integration with public transport hubs
- Minimum passing distance law
- $7.5 million to upgrade the Walmer Street Bridge, Richmond.
- Deliver on a cycle-friendly solution to the Gipps Street steps
- A new South Richmond to Burnley rail corridor route
- A new Box Hill to CBD cycle route
- the Rushall Reserve cycle route
GRADE: A
Strong four-year commitment to boosting bike riding across Victoria. No commitment to Ride2School.
TRANSPORT
LABOR
- West Gate Tunnel by 2022
- Train from Melbourne to the airport
- North East Link by 2027
- Western Rail Plan 2023
- Suburban Rail Loop
- Metro Tunnel
- 25 additional level crossing removals
- 11,000 new car parks for train stations as part of $150 million Car Parks for Commuters Fund
GRADE: B-
Building roads and rail present opportunities to connect bike networks. Missed opportunity for additional bike parking at train stations.
LIBERALS
- Remove traffic lights and roundabouts from 55 busy and congested intersections across Melbourne and Geelong using grade-separations
- High speed passenger rail across all of Victoria traveling at speeds of
up to 200 kmh. - Upgrading Melbourne’s metropolitan network with rail extensions to Clyde and Baxter as well as duplicating the Hurstbridge line.
- Building a ‘Super Highway’ – a North East Link and an East West Link
with the West Gate Tunnel. - Train from Melbourne to the airport
- Car registration discounts for some P-Platers
- $600M Dingly Freeway
GRADE: C
Heavy focus on roads and rail present opportunities to connect bike networks. However, the impacts of removing traffic lights at 55 intersections has faced criticism from traffic engineers and planners.
GREENS
- Extend Melbourne Metro to provide rail to people in the western suburbs and Melton, and the south-eastern suburbs beyond Cranbourne, and interchange with South Yarra and station upgrades at South Kensington and Caulfield
- Plan for the Melbourne Metro 2 rail project now.
- Transform bus networks by upgrading some of Melbourne’s busiest bus routes
- Upgrade all tram routes in a decade to include level access stops along entire routes, better separation from traffic and traffic light priority, and manufacture of 30 new high capacity trams every year for the next 10 years
- Scrap West Gate Tunnel and North East Link
- See the full list in Transforming Transport
GRADE: B
Focus on rail, bus and tram connections that provide greater transport alternatives to cars.
PHYSCIAL ACTIVITY
LABOR
- No current commitments for increasing physical activity for adults or young people.
- See Labor’s health plan
GRADE: F
No commitments
LIBERAL COALITION
- Life. Be in it 2.0
- Mandatory inter-school sports competitions
GRADE: E
Good to see some focus on physical activity, however we’d like to see a commitment to funding long-term and sustainable preventative health activities.
GREENS
- Greens election plan says that they are committed to “boosting preventative health strategies” but no specific commitment to increasing physical activity.
GRADE: E
Broad commitment to preventative health but no specific commitment for increasing physical activity.
Latest news
Greens pledge commuting superhighway
The Victorian Greens have unfolded a $250M plan to boost bike riding, including developments in infrastructure, education, bike tourism and existing laws.
Andrews pledges Northern Trails
The Andrews government has pledged major expansion of the trail network in Melbourne’s north, including a commitment to complete the Plenty River Trail.
St Kilda Road bike lanes a reality under Labor
Protected bike lanes down the centre of St Kilda Road will become a reality if the Labor Party wins the election in November.
Coalition promises Daylesford to Hanging Rock Rail Trail
The Daylesford to Hanging Rock Rail Trail has been promised funding by the Victorian Liberal Nationals, if they get up in this year's election.
Victoria: On the move … to more traffic
Bicycle Network CEO Craig Richards has given his thoughts on the upcoming Victorian state election and why it shouldn't fought out over freeways.
YOU may also be interested in…
Busy cycling routes bumped off multimillion dollar cycling fund – The Age
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