SPENDING on bicycle infrastructure in Wyndham is more than double other western suburbs councils, but cyclists want the city to do more.
Bicycle Network Victoria’s annual BiXE report reveals Wyndham spent $11.65 per resident on cycling infrastructure in the last financial year.
Brimbank had the second highest spend in the west, with $5.83 per person allocated for bicycle projects.
Victoria’s biggest spending council was Melbourne, which funnelled $50 per person into bike paths and trails.
Bicycle Network Victoria sets a threshold of $5 per person.
In the past year, Wyndham spent money on a shared path along Old Geelong Road, Hoppers Crossing, a shared bridge over Skeleton Creek, bike lanes on Tarneit Road and a railway underpass for the Werribee River Trail.
Wyndham Bicycle User Group’s Richard Hawkey commended the council for the river trail underpass.
But he feared the same level of money would not be spent on bicycle infrastructure next year.
“It is a big budget item. Will they be able to keep on spending that amount of money this year? Will there be as big a budget? There are lots of paths we would like to see built.”
Mr Hawkey said cyclists were working with the council to compile a list of projects needing funding, including bicycle paths that could also be used by people in wheelchairs.
Increased funding for Ride2School projects was also high on his agenda.
“Getting kids on their bikes safely is important to me. It’s hard for cyclists to get to some schools. The areas around schools are not designed for cyclists.”
The Bicycle Network said it would like the council to continue the Werribee River Trail to Cottrell Street, plan cycling networks in new estates and to provide safe cycling routes to Werribee station.
Wyndham Council did not respond before the Weekly went to print.
