Walking and bike riding are important parts of the transport system and are growing in importance and popularity. There are also significant mental and physical health benefits gained from walking and bike riding.

Our recent survey of Victorian councils found that more than 80% of councils have a walking and/or cycling plan, and that more than 90% of councils plan to deliver walking and cycling improvements each year.

This hub is aimed at improving the capability of local government to plan, design, deliver, activate and evaluate walking and bike riding programs and projects.

The MAV has partnered with VicHealth to address barriers and encourage behavioural change to get people moving in a safe and healthy way. Through our research, councils have told us they need more support in this space particularly at this time when traffic volumes are reduced and active transport increasing. That’s why we’ve developed this hub to give council officers specific, practical information to help implement walking and bike riding projects.

Data, case studies and evidence have been pulled together across metropolitan and regional Victoria, Australia and internationally to inform councils’ decision-making for walking and bike riding projects.

The material has been collated specifically for council officers working in infrastructure, engineering, health promotion, community development and transport to guide the design and delivery of active transport infrastructure and behavioural interventions. Considering and responding to the impacts of Covid-19, now is also a great time for trials and pop up treatments.

Read our media release, Councils call for funding support to increase walking and cycling opportunities issued on 28 August 2020.

If you have any suggestions or would like to provide an example, please email Geoff Oulton on goulton@mav.asn.au or call 0419 766 999.

What’s on – Hub Webinars

Our webinars include speakers and case studies from across local government in Victoria and encourage questions and discussion.

Recent webinar recordings

• Walking and cycling through COVID-19 and beyond – held on 2 August 2020 - Vimeo
• Behaviour change to support walking and bike riding – an introduction to programs and activities – held on 28 October - Vimeo
• Lessons from Delivering Walking and Cycling Projects – held on 25 November 2020 - Vimeo
• Evaluation of Walking and Cycling Projects – held on 12 December 2020 - Vimeo

Funding for Victorian councils

Australian Government budget announcements

Feedback from councils

MAV conducted a survey with councils to understand the activity occurring and barriers encountered when developing walking and bike riding projects, you can read the MAV survey summary (PDF - 552KB) and MAV survey results (PDF - 814KB) for the full story.

The survey received an 85% response rate, and the main barrier was funding. Some of the other key findings include:

• More than 80% of Metro Councils said approval processes was a barrier to delivering walking and cycling improvements
• Around 50% of councils reported they are planning to deliver more walking and cycling projects in the next six months
• Around 50% of metro councils are planning to undertake behaviour change campaigns yet only 10% are in regional Victoria

This feedback from local councils has strengthened MAV’s advocacy to state government and its support to councils. MAV is now working with Department of Transport on improving project approvals processes.

Walking and bike riding stakeholders

Local government works with many state government and non-government organisations to deliver walking and bike riding outcomes. Here are two snapshots of key stakeholders and programs relating to walking and bike riding. These are not exhaustive lists but aim to show the range of organisations that may influence projects; either through policies, approvals, funding, advice or other support.

• Vic Local Gov Walking and Bike Riding Stakeholders - Sep 2020 (PDF - 64KB)
• Programs in Victoria relating to Walking and Bike Riding- Sep 2020 (PDF - 49KB)

Improving metropolitan walking and bike riding project approvals – DoT contacts

MAV’s survey of councils identified approvals as a barrier in metropolitan Melbourne. Following discussions with MAV, DoT has agreed that the 3 metropolitan regional directors are your best escalation point if you have any approvals issues regarding walking and bike riding-related projects.  Their contact details are:

• Metro South East – Savoula.Lidis@roads.vic.gov.au
• Central - Fatima.Mohamed@roads.vic.gov.au
• Metro North West –David.Teague@roads.vic.gov.au

Victorian council examples

Many councils across Victoria are implementing projects to encourage more walking and bike riding. These MAV case studies highlight some of this great work. MAV will continue to add examples here. You may want to share your council’s great work by submitting your own case study using the template.

• MAV Walking and Bike Riding case study - Bendigo (PDF - 235KB)
• MAV Walking and Bike Riding case study - Corangamite (PDF - 637KB)
• MAV Walking and Bike Riding case study - Darebin (PDF - 349KB)
• MAV Walking and Bike Riding case study - Moreland (PDF - 231KB)
• MAV Walking and Bike Riding case study - Moreland bike lane & parking ban (PDF - 230KB)
• MAV Walking and Bike Riding case study - Moreland New Raised Pedestrian Thresholds (PDF - 229KB)
• MAV Walking and Bike Riding case study - Moreland Right Hand Turn bans (PDF - 228KB)
• MAV Walking and Bike Riding case study - Moreland Zebra Crossing Installation Blitz (PDF - 230KB)
• MAV Walking and Bike Riding case study - Moreland Pop Up Shared Zones (PDF - 244KB)
• MAV Walking and Bike Riding case study - Moreland 40km Zone Rollout (PDF - 229KB)
• MAV Walking and Bike Riding case study template (Word - 555KB)

Here are some more examples, from news and councils, that include designs and infrastructure to support active transport;

• Baw Baw Shire Council: Road safety hotspot improvements for people walking and cycling
• Baw Baw Shire Council: Ride Nation program to encourage more cycling participation
• City of Greater Bendigo: Regional city's first state of the art cycling infrastructure
• Buloke Shire Council: Recreational walking trails get the go ahead
• Hobsons Bay City Council: Walking and cycling access improvements as part of level crossing removal
• Moreland City Council: Pop up bike lanes and pop up shared zones
• Wyndham City Council: Community consultation strongly supports pop up shared zone

Victorian strategies and guidance

• VicHealth community survey of walking and bike riding attitudes and behaviours in a Covid-19 environment (PDF 85KB)
• Transport Victoria - Victorian Cycling Strategy 2018-28 (PDF - 1.8MB)
• Transport for Victoria – Walking and Cycling
• Victorian Government media release – Building safer walking and cycling parks (May 2018)
• Victoria Walks – Research on walking, cycling and transport
• Victoria Walks – Change to Walking program
• CoDesign Studio - Neighbourhoods made by neighbours, Guide to community -led placemaking
• VicHealth - Strategies to encourage active travel to school (PDF - 1.03MB)
• Victoria Walks – Guide to measuring walking
• Victoria Walks – Applying Nudge theory to walking: designing behavioural interventions to promote walking

National and international strategies and guidance

• Transport for NSW - NSW Pop up transport
• Transport for NSW - Walking Space Guide Towards Pedestrian Comfort and Safety (PDF - 6.15MB)
• Heart Foundation - Healthy Active by Design
• Heart Foundation - HABD checklist tool
• Heart Foundation - Resources (includes case study videos and interviews)
• Heart Foundation - Active Streets statement (PDF - 435KB)
• ARUP - Tactical Urbanism research into success factors
• NACTO (National Association of City Transportation Officials) - released a guide for Pandemic Response and Recovery: Streets for Pandemic Response and Recovery 2020 (PDF - 8.44MB)
• NACTO - City Limits, Setting safe speed limits on urban streets
• Sustrans - UK Covid-19 temporary walking and cycling interventions detailed guidance
• Sustrans - UK Space to Move tool - map of temporary walking and bike riding projects across UK in response to Covid-19
• Sustrans - UK Schools Streets Closures, literature review
• Federation of Canadian Municipalities - Covid-19 Street Rebalancing Guide
• British Columbia Ministry for Transportation - Active Transportation Design Guide
• AARP & Team Better Block - Pop-up placemaking toolkit (PDF  10.1MB)
• Political Economy Research Institute (US) - Pedestrian and Bicycle Infrastructure: A National Study of Employment Impacts - Jun 2011 (PDF - 816KB)
• Scotland’s National Walking Strategy (UK) – The National Walking Strategy
• Auckland Transport (NZ) - Safe Speeds Programme and Urban Street and Road Design Guide (PDF - 11.6MB)
• Welsh Government (UK) - Active Travel Guidance - Feb 2020 (PDF - 10.6MB)
• Australian Transport and Infrastructure Council Australian Transport Assessment and Planning Guidelines M4 Active Travel
• Australian Transport and Infrastructure Council Australian Transport Assessment and Planning Guidelines M5 Travel Behaviour Change
• US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention – Active Communities Tool (ACT): An Action Planning Guide and Assessment Modules to Improve Community Built Environments to Promote Physical Activity 
• Behavioural Insights Team UK – EAST four simple ways to apply behavioural insights

Media Coverage

A snapshot of some interesting recent media articles.