It has been a bumpy year for cyclists and pedestrians in the Footscray area, which is the reason behind a Critical Mass protest.
Community group Bike West is running the mass and organiser Pierre Vairo said the event is to protest and highlight some of the serious safety issues for cycling in the west.
He said they have two paths that people can use to access the city.
Mr Vairo said one is Footscray Road which is deemed the “safe road”, although cyclist Angus Collins was killed here when he was hit by a truck in early 2023.
The second is Dynon Road, which they consider “far less safe.”
“It has weaving intersections and generally a lot of trucks, it is horrible,” he said.
Cyclists will be using the mass to air their frustration over the conditions cyclists have faced in the past year, due to the construction of the West Gate Tunnel.
BikeWest members will be joined by residents of the Joseph Road apartment precinct (JRP) who have been campaigning for footpaths, pedestrian crossings and amenity improvements.
BikeWest said JRP residents have witnessed a number of bike-car collisions at Joseph Road, as well as the death of Frances Jeyann Ramirez, who was hit by two cars as she tried to cross an intersection in December.
“To deal with the tunnel work, the Footscray Road path has been closed on and off this year and it’s currently closed indefinitely,” he said.
The path was closed in September for works as part of the Westgate Tunnel Project, before reopening in October.
It was then closed again on November 3, due to the Maritime Union’s industrial action against DP World, with the two parties since reaching an agreement at the Fair Work Commission which should lead to the path being reopened.
Mr Vairo hopes this protest will encourage the reopening as soon as possible.
“We are hoping this action has been resolved and we really want to encourage the Department of Transport to hurry that along,” he said.
“The other issue we would like to highlight is the 600 metres of missing bike lanes from the middle of Hopkins Street to central Footscray.”
The ride will take place on Friday, February 23, beginning at the state library for departure at 5.30am, to finish up in Footscray for speeches and refreshments.
A Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said that the department regularly reviews its network, including its cycling corridors, to identify potential improvements.
“We welcome feedback and will work with the community on how we can further improve safety on our roads.“
Jennifer Pittorino
