CYCLISTS fear the need for more routes in and out of Point Cook may be ignored after the state government axed funding for the VicRoads Bicycle Program.
Budget cuts announced last month have limited money made available for cycling infrastructure in the next financial year.
In December, Wyndham Council asked the government and VicRoads to fund a bicycle path from Sneydes Road at Boardwalk Boulevard to the Princes Highway.
It also wanted a path along Skeleton Creek and across the freeway, as well as one from Boardwalk Boulevard to Forsyth Road.
As reported in the Weekly, cyclists from Point Cook have urged the council to build a path to Werribee so they don’t have to ride alongside traffic on Sneydes Road. Werribee cyclist Denise Prince said it was important to fund projects such as the Sneydes Road bike path, but she understood the community may have to wait for the money.
Bicycle Network Victoria chief executive Harry Barber said funding cuts meant desperately needed lanes, signals, intersections and other safety improvements would be dropped from VicRoads’ program.
Opposition road safety spokesman Luke Donnellan said western suburbs communities would miss out.
“This is a kick in the guts to hundreds of western suburbs residents who cycle to work, school, train stations, or for recreation.”
A Transport Department spokeswoman said the department would spend about $8million on cycling projects next year as part of larger transport projects.
