Brimbank council spends less than $6 per resident on cycling related infrastructure.
Bicycle Network’s 2016 Bicycle Expenditure Index (BiXE) identifies Brimbank’s outlay as “standard”, or average, compared to other councils in Australia, at $5.48 per person.
This compares to $2.56 at Maribyrnong, $6.69 at Hume, $9.54 at Whittlesea and $32.25 at Nillumbik.
Brimbank’s infrastructure and environment director Neil Whiteside defended the council’s rank on the index, saying it has an “ongoing investment to improving cycling infrastructure”.
The council’s 2016-17 budget outlines $1,080,000 worth of cycling related spending.
Major projects include an off-road cycling route along Mt Derrimut Road ($130,000), the final stage of the Taylors Creek Recreational Trail ($400,000), an off-road shared path connection between Deer Park village and Deer Park train station ($300,000) and new small-scale BMX mounds at Ardeer Community Park ($50,000).
Mr Whiteside said the $300,000 Delahey Reserve park upgrade also included a new circuit for cyclists and pedestrians, and gravel paths at Selwyn Park in Albion would be concreted as part of the master plan for the site, at a cost of $150,000.
He said the council has plans to improve cycling infrastructure even more over the next decade.
Bicycle Network’s chief executive Craig Richards said the council was meeting the index’s minimum spend “by the skin of their teeth”.
“Brimbank is faced with a great opportunity, if they lift their game by investing even more in safe and accessible places for people to ride, they’ll reap the full rewards of a happier and healthier community,” he said, adding that spending $5 per head on bike infrastructure was a longstanding threshold.
