Councillor Simon Crawford
Council recently decided to trial a bike path along Summerhill and Rosamond roads as part of the planned road reconstruction. This path would provide a much needed north-south link for bike riding between West Footscray and Highpoint by linking Barkly Street to Raleigh Road. This would be a pop-up style path, ideally a protected bike path, that will enable changes to be made during the trial following engagement with residents. This path would significantly improve active transport in the area, by providing a much safer path for bike riders and safer paths for pedestrians, as people will not need to ride on the footpaths anymore. This will allow for less traffic, less pollution, less demand for car parking and safer, healthier residents.
A rescission motion has since been lodged seeking to reverse the decision. While there has been several consultations about bicycle infrastructure generally in recent years, and there would be resident engagement during the trial period, the concern is residents on Summerhill and Rosamond roads haven’t been consulted on this specifically prior to the decision.
I agree it is important to hear from our community. It is only with your voice and your stories that we can really start to make progress towards turning Maribyrnong into a bike friendly city. As such, I encourage all residents that are interested in this matter to contact your councillors and let them know what you think. It is vital to let them know what this would mean to you, your family, friends and neighbours, ahead of the next council meeting on Tuesday, October 17.
