THE Bicycle Network – previously Bicycle Victoria – is urging Mornington Peninsula residents to provide feedback to the shire’s plans to “improve the cycling experience on the peninsula”.
The RideSafe Strategy 2020 on display until 11 September aims to attract more cyclists to the peninsula to experience its “alluring rural and coastal attractions, and holiday destinations”.
“The Mornington Peninsula has always promised much for riders, with its alluring rural and coastal attractions, and holiday destinations,” the network’s Garry Brennan said.
“But delivering on those hopes has been slow and patchy. There is a lot of ground to make up.
“There are considerable gaps in the trail network, and potentially great road routes are still hazardous.
“The coronavirus pandemic has only highlighted the shortcomings, with many locals struggling to find five kilometres of safe pavement to get their exercise.”
The network says two “major gaps” in the trail network look set to be addressed in the new plan: extending the Peninsula Link trail through to Port Phillip and Western Port bays – which would require linking Moorooduc and Mornington; Mt Martha and Safety Beach and, on the Western Port side, the link between Baxter and Somerville.
Four main objectives of the shire’s draft strategy are to improve cycling infrastructure to reduce risk to users; develop a connected cycling network to ensure most areas of the peninsula can be accessed by bicycle; enhance the user experience to encourage more people to cycle; and, educate road and trail users and promote cycling on the peninsula.
The network said the draft strategy could “clearly benefit from more data and analysis for use in developing the case for more money for bikes”.
“The health and tourism benefits available to the peninsula from an uplift in physical activity and overnight visitation would be considerable,” Mr Brennan said.
However, he said there was little in the strategy for the residents of the resort towns, “where footpaths are often missing, and walkers and riders are sharing high speed streets with cars”.
To provide feedback online visit: mornpen.vic.gov.au/haveyoursay.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 25 August 2020
