Jennifer Pittorino
Resident’s advocacy group Better West is asking Hobsons Bay council to follow through on its promise of a safe and connected cycling network through the big residential development areas from Altona North to Spotswood.
Better West said it is disappointed to see that the separated bike path council had promoted as the ‘Greenline’ has not been included in the streetscape for Birmingham Street.
According to Better West, the plans for the Spotswood Yard development do not appear to include a separated bike path in the plan.
Better West said the connected bike network for the development areas in Altona North, South Kingsville to Spotswood was planned and endorsed by council as part of the Precinct 15 development in 2018, and the ‘Greenline’ separated bike path was a council initiative announced in July 2021.
Better West said in 2022, council ran a community consultation session on the different design options for the separated paths in these two streets.
Better West President Rosa McKenna said community consultation has not been considered.
“There are changes that could be made on Birmingham Street and McLister Street that haven’t been made,” she said.
“The plans I have been talking to the community about are really impossible now because those roads will be built without that infrastructure.”
Ms McKenna said Better West is asking council to include the community consultation feedback in these plans.
“We want council to immediately step in and take control of their planning and traffic arrangements to ensure that the people of South Kingsville and Spotswood get what they asked for,” she said.
“The community has given feedback on the Better Places initiative and asked that is the Greenline become a reality.
“At the moment there are so many physical barriers being put up by council that it will never be realised, or if it is realised, will have to be dug up and redone again at great cost to ratepayers.”
A Hobsons Bay council spokesperson said larger projects require time.
“These sort of large scale, complex developments are long-term projects, so they take considerable time to be fully realised.
“The permit for 31-69 McLister Street, Spotswood was issued in 2017, before the Greenline Plan was adopted, while the permits for 571-589 Melbourne Road, Spotswood were issued after being reviewed by an advisory committee convened by the Minister for Planning.
“Council has received the letter from Better West and will respond in due course.”
