MARIBYRNONG cyclists are being short-changed by the council over infrastructure spending, according to Bicycle Network Victoria.
The annual survey of spending by local councils found that despite a surge in cycling, Maribyrnong spent just 91 cents per resident — well below BNV’s $5 per head threshold and the $16.89 ‘inner zone’ average.
But mayor Catherine Cumming denies local cyclists are being dudded, accusing BNV of “wearing its helmets too tight”.
Releasing the 2012 BiXE (Bicycle Expenditure Index) survey on Friday, BNV accused Maribyrnong Council of snubbing the bike community with “irresponsibly low levels of investment”.
BNV CEO Craig Richards said there were still too many councils with their heads in the sand.
“Every year they delay action the accumulated infrastructure deficit grows and so ratepayers are left in the lurch.”
Maribyrnong had a five-year BiXE average of $3.61, far below the inner zone council five-year average of $10.81.
BNV’s top priorities for Maribyrnong include fixing infrastructure gaps between West Footscray station and Footscray Road, making the intersection of Mitchell Street and Rosamond Road safer and creating a new river crossing at the Defence site, now slated for massive redevelopment.
Cr Cumming said BNV’s figures were at odds with the council’s own figures on spending and failed to tell the whole picture. “The council number crunchers said we are around the four or five-dollar mark. In the full context of the past 15 years, we are right up there.”
Cr Cumming said the figures failed to include money attracted from the state and federal governments. “This means we are only spending on what we need.”
Western suburbs Greens MP Colleen Hartland said “the abysmal spending of Maribyrnong” was out of step with other western suburb and inner zone councils.
“More and more people in the west are riding a bike, especially in Maribyrnong, and it’s important that we provide safe cycling paths for them,” she said.
“Making cycling safer would support more cyclists to ride more often and avoid traffic congestion, fuel costs and parking fees, while getting fit.”
