CITY OF WHITEHORSE BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE COWBAC

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CITY OF WHITEHORSEBICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
COWBAC
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Who are the people in COWBAC?

• The Committee is made up of 12 community minded
  volunteers who have been selected by council for
  a minimum 3 year term.
• COWBAC represents all cyclists in our
  community-
• Commuters cycling to get to a destination (60
  of cyclists)
• Recreational cycling for health, fitness and
  fun (40 of cyclists)

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COWBACs role within Council
The purpose of the Bicycle Advisory Committee is
to provide community input and assist Council in
planning and providing a safe, convenient cycling
environment for the community, which will
maintain and encourage participation in cycling.

• Some of the reasons why, as a community, we
  should further encourage cycling are-
• Cycling is unique in its ability to combine low
  impact physical activity, recreation and
  transport to a wide variety of users from the
  very young to the older members of our community.
• Cycling provides important Health benefits for a
  population that is failing to meet minimum
  physical activity requirements.
• Cycling is a carbon neutral, emission free form
  of transport, simultaneously helping your
  constituents fight climate change and reduce the
  impact of rising costs on the family budget.

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Encourage participation in cycling

• One of COWBACs roles is to advise council on
  which cycling related projects meet critical
  needs in the community, such as -
• Environmental sustainability
• Health and Wellbeing
• Community connectivity
• Livability

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The Project that encompasses all of these and
more is-
The Eastern Rail Trail (ERT) Interconnect the
eastern suburbs activity centres within Deakin
and in turn link them to the city.
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The Eastern Rail Trail (ERT)(The trail to
sustainability connecting the Electorate of
Deakin)
The ERT project has long been on the agenda of
Local Councils, VicRoads, VicTrack, and the State
Bicycle Committee. The Feasibility study was
completed in June of 1997.
The ERT project provides a major east west,
sustainable transport link for all constituents
in the electorate of Deakin.
The ERT will be the spine connecting many
existing bicycle routes, within the electorate of
Deakin.
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ERT Deakin.

• In the City of Whitehorse alone the ERT will
  encompass key components of the Melbourne 2030
  strategy connecting -
• Public Transport networks
• Major Activity Centres
• Neighbourhood Activity Centres
• (within 500m of ERT Golden Mile, Eastland, Box
  Hill Centro and the entire Whitehorse Rd/
  Maroondah Hwy precinct)
• Schools
• (within 500m of ERT13 schools and within 1km of
  ERT 21 schools)
• Community Parks Gardens
• (and all of the other facilities that, over the
  years have developed along the rail line
  including Box Hill hospital and TAFE)

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Mike Symon Your mission, if you choose to accept
it is-
To use your own words It is incumbent on us to
make sure the country we pass on to our children
and their children is a better country than it is
today As our local Federal Member of
Parliament, your community need YOU to endorse
and champion the Eastern Rail Trail Project from
concept to reality. Farsighted when originally
conceived in the early 90s in the current
climate, it is the project whos time has
arrived. One key fact proven world wide to
promote cycling better than any other is the
development of Infrastructure.
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Build it, and they will come

• 150,000 visit EastLink Road Show
• ConnectEast thanks the 150,000 Victorians who
  cycled, ran and walked EastLink at EastLink Road
  Show on 15 June, and all those who made this
  unique event such a huge success.
• The EastLink Road Show, hosted by ConnectEast,
  featured events at several sites along EastLink
  including at Ringwood and Monash.
• Around 50,000 cyclists participated in the day -
  making it the biggest cycling event ever held in
  Australia. See the photographs below.

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Appendices
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References
http//www.transport.vic.gov.au Department of
Infrastructure TravelSmart and Local Area Access
Program (LAAP) grants provide funding for
projects showing the way forward in addressing
the attitudinal, physical, and institutional
barriers to walking, cycling and public
transport. The projects are funded as part of
Meeting Our Transport Challenges strategy and
administered by the Walking and Cycling Branch at
the Department of Transport http//www.environme
nt.gov.au Reducing pollution from motor
vehicles National initiatives to reduce the
impact of road transport on environment quality,
urban amenity and human health The strategies for
the Department of the Environment, Water,
Heritage and the Arts work are addressing the
nature and growth of vehicle travel by improving
sustainable transport, including through
encouraging high occupancy vehicle use and
promoting walking, cycling and public transport
integrating land use and transport planning
www.dse.vic.gov.au/melbourne2030 Department of
Sustainability Environment www.melbourne2030.vic
.gov.au
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Key Stakeholder
www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au City of Whitehorse
Springvale Road/Whitehorse Road Intersection
 State Government audit of all 1880 railway level
crossings in Victoria has confirmed that the
Springvale Road level crossing in Nunawading has
the highest risk of accidents of all level
crossings in Victoria. Council has been actively
campaigning for something to be done for the past
five years and welcomes comments from The Hon.
Lynne Kosky, Minister for Public Transport, that
the State Government is committed to working with
the Federal Government to grade separate
Springvale Road at this location.
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Stakeholders

• www.boroondara.vic.gov.au City of Boroondara
• Jim Hondrakis
• Team Leader Transport Management
• Ph [phone] fax  [phone]
• e-mail  jim.hondrakis_at_boroondara.vic.gov.au
• Private Bag 1
• Camberwell 3124
• www.yarracity.vic.gov.au City of Yarra
• Richard Smithers
• Transport Coordinator
• ph [phone], mob [phone], fax (03)
  8417-6666
• email Richard.Smithers_at_yarracity.vic.gov.au
• PO Box 168
• Richmond 3121
• Jim and Richard coordinate works on bike
  infrastructure in Boroondara and Yarra
  respectively. Both are very keen to make
  improvements and both are very supportive of an
  East-West link.

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Community and Industry support

• www.boroondarabug.org Boroondara Bicycle Users
  Group
• www.rideabike.com.au Cycling Promotion Fund
• www.yarrabug.org Yarra Bicycle Users Group
• http//home.vicnet.net.au/mdahbug/ Maroondah
  Bicycle Users Group
• www.bv.com.au Bicycle Victoria

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Extracts from Melbourne 2030 Report
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State government 2030 report The importance of
linking Activity Centres

• Policy 8.7 Give more priority to cycling and
  walking in planning urban development and in
  managing our road system and neighbourhoods
• For many trips, walking and cycling are the most
  energy-efficient and effective means of mobility,
  minimising the environmental impacts of travel
  and providing direct benefits for personal health
  and social wellbeing.
• Much urban development in past decades has
  discouraged the use of walking and cycling.
  People are put off cycling by traffic and by the
  lack of end-of-trip facilities including parking,
  storage and showers. Pedestrians, people with
  prams and pushers, and people using wheelchairs
  and scooters are discouraged by the poor quality
  of the pedestrian environment. The design of many
  newer subdivisions locates neighbourhood
  facilities such as local shopping centres and
  community facilities beyond convenient walking
  distance.
• These barriers will be removed to create an
  environment that is safe and attractive for all
  people, including pedestrians and cyclists, and
  particularly for the young and other vulnerable
  users. Local cycling networks and new cycling
  facilities will complement the metropolitan-wide
  network of bicycle routes the Principal Bicycle
  Network which will be completed, resources
  permitting, by 2015. Figure 44. Providing for
  cycling
• Initiatives
• 8.7.1Continue to develop the Principal Bicycle
  Network to be completed (resources permitting)
  by 2015 and give priority to sections that link
  with activity centres
• 8.7.2Implement a walking action plan (for the
  whole of Victoria) that includes provision for
  footpath-bound vehicles such as wheelchairs,
  prams and scooters
• 8.7.3Amend planning and/or building controls so
  that end-of-trip facilities for bicycles are
  provided in commercial buildings
• 8.7.4Provide improved facilities, particularly
  storage, for cyclists at public transport
  interchanges and rail stations
• 8.7.5Develop a bicycle action plan which brings
  together all elements needed to substantially
  increase bicycle use

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State government 2030 report The importance of
linking Activity Centres

• www.dpcd.vic.gov.au Planning gt Policy and
  Projects gt Transit Cities
• Transit Cities Melbourne 2030 in action Imagine
  having easy access to a range of transport,
  housing, shops, services and job opportunities.
  Imagine living in a safe, vibrant, community that
  sets a new standard in urban design.
• By encouraging development around public
  transport, Transit Cities will be able to deliver
  these outcomes to residents. It's another way the
  State Government is delivering better social,
  economic and environmental outcomes to the whole
  community.
• Box Hill Ringwood are Transit Cities
• Box HillMs Fiona PowellProject Manager Phone
  03 9637 9202Email fiona.powell_at_dpcd.vic.gov.au
• RingwoodMs Martina JohnsonProject
  ManagerPhone 03 9637 8202Email
  martina.johnson_at_dpcd.vic.gov.au

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Statistics
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Sport has not only health benefits, but an
intrinsic worth to our country's social and
economic wellbeing
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Health dimension
Social and economic dimensions

• Physical inactivity increases all causes of
  mortality, doubles the risk of cardiovascular
  disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. It also
  increases the risks of colon and breast cancer,
  high blood pressure, lipid disorders,
  osteoporosis, depression and anxiety
• Physical inactivity was the fourth leading cause
  of burden of disease in Australia in 2003 (7 of
  total burden)
• Australians are avid sports participants and
  viewers, but many people still lead inactive
  lifestyles

• Sport is a growing economic force
• 2006 census data indicates that 1.0 of employed
  persons have their main job in sports which is
  a 21.6 increase since the previous census
  (compared with 8.7 growth across other
  occupations)
• In 2004-5, the 9,356 sporting businesses and
  organisations generated 8.8b in revenue1 11.7
  growth since 2000-1
• Sport is an important part of society
• The 2006 General Social Survey indicates that
  sport is the number one source of volunteer work
  (11.4 of population)
• Research indicates a range of social and personal
  benefits from participation in sports2
• Skill acquisition improved self-esteem expanded
  social networks community trust

1. Includes government funding 2. See a summary
of this research, in Social impacts of
participation in the Arts and Cultural Activity
(2004) Source ABS, 4177.0 Participation in
Sports and Physical Recreation Australia (2007)
ABS, 4835.0.55.001 Physical Activity in
Australia A Snapshot, 2004-5 (2006)
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Growing rates of obesity are likely to be
accompanied by higher prevalence of chronic
diseases
Prevalence of long-term health conditions,1 by
weight class 2004-5
Women
Men

• Healthy weight

• Overweight

• Obese

1. Defined as all conditions with actual or
expected duration of 6 months or more (may
include, for example, short or long-sightedness)
Source ABS 4364.0, National Health Survey
Summary of Results 2004-5 (2006) ABS 4719.0,
Overweight and obesity in Adults, Australia,
2004-5 (2008)
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Current health funding remains overwhelmingly
focused on treatment
National health expenditure, by area of
expenditure Australia 2005/6 ( per capita)
1. Includes Commonwealth, State and local
governments 2. Includes private health
insurance funds, injury compensation insurers,
and private individuals 3. Includes public and
private hospitals and patient transportation
Source AIHW, National health expenditure 2005-6
(AIHW data cube)