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. Details of our current Transport Advocacy Strategy 2022 include activity to support more investment in walking and bike riding.

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.

• Overview
• Funding for Victorian councils
• Consensus Statement
• Victorian government emission reduction pledge for transport
• Submissions
• Past Hub Webinars
• Australian Government budget announcements
• Feedback from councils (Survey results)
• Walking and bike riding stakeholders
• Improving metropolitan walking and bike riding project approvals - DoT contacts
• Victorian council examples
• Victorian strategies and guidance
• National and international strategies and guidance
• Resources
• Media coverage

MAV Walking and Bike Riding Published April 2021 The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and VicHealth have been working together since July 2020 to support Victorian councils to deliver projects that encourage walking and bike riding. A survey was conducted in August 2020, and mid-project in February 2021 to evaluate its success. Council actions last 12 months 68% car park removal* 43% pop up parklets 30% speed limit reduced* 23% new strategies / plans *In conjunction with outdoor dining Council actions NEXT 12 months 90% Improved walking infrastructure 83% Improved bike riding Infrastructure 36% Speed Limit Reduced in high Pedestrian areas What has helped? COVID-19 has been a catalyst to improve local infrastructure and work in collaborative partnerships two thirds of respondents utilised the MAV online walking and bike riding resource hub developing & sharing local case studies have helped council staff stronger relationships with the department of transport are welcomed, and remain crucial Barriers Lack of funding - 83% of councils identify funding as a critical barrier External approvals - 46% have been impacted by external approval issues Next steps for MAV Advocating for more funding Updating online resource hub Delivering webinars on regional projects, engagement and partnerships to support councils Read the full survey reports online at the MAV Walking and Bike Riding Hub.

Funding for Victorian councils

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Consensus Statement

MAV was pleased to be a part of a group of organisations that developed the Consensus Statement (PDF - 561KB) on walking and bike riding.

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Victorian government emission reduction pledge for transport

The Victorian government action on climate change includes emission reduction pledges for seven key areas including transport. The transport sector pledge (PDF - 1.19MB) includes the important target of increasing active transport mode share from the current 18% to 25% by 2030.

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Submission

• Submission to National Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 Consultation - Mar 2021 (PDF - 156KB)

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Past Hub Webinars

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

Webinar recordings and presentations

• Rural and Regional Active Transport Presentation – June 2021 (PDF - 11.5MB)
• Movement and Place Presentation – July 2021 (PDF - 17.4MB)
• Victorian Road Safety Strategy 2021- 2030 - held on 17 March 2021 - Vimeo
• Walking and cycling through COVID-19 and beyond – held on 2 August 2020 - Vimeo
• Behaviour Change to Support Walking and Bike Riding – held on 28 October 2020 - Vimeo
  • City of Darebin – Octopus Schools (PDF - 3.4MB)
  • City of Bendigo – Let's Walk program (PDF - 1.5MB)
  • Alice Woodruff – Influencing travel behaviours towards walking and riding (PDF - 23.4MB)
• Lessons from Delivering Walking and Cycling Projects – held on 25 November 2020 - Vimeo
  • Wyndham City Council – Pop Up Shared Zone (PDF - 1.5MB)
  • City of Melbourne – Adjustable Bike Lanes (PDF - 3.9MB)
  • City of Bendigo – Ellis Street Flora Hill (PDF - 4.5MB)
• Evaluation of Walking and Cycling Projects – held on 12 December 2020 - Vimeo
  • City of Port Phillip – Moray Street Upgrade Evaluation (PDF - 2.9MB)
  • Elliot Fishman – Growing Cycling’s Contribution (PDF - 20.2MB)
  • Alice Woodruff – Evaluation of an intervention to encourage walking (PDF - 4.7MB)

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Australian Government budget announcements

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Feedback from councils

The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and VicHealth have been working together since July 2020 to support Victorian councils to deliver projects that encourage walking and bike riding. A survey was conducted in August 2020, and mid-project in February 2021 to evaluate its success.

2021 Survey Results

The mid-project evaluation survey highlighted a number of exciting outcomes. You can read the Walking and Bike Riding Webinars Survey Report (PDF - 259KB) and the Walking and Bike Riding Project Survey Report (PDF - 311KB) for the full results.

Key findings from responding councils include:

• COVID-19 has been a catalyst to improve local infrastructure and work in collaborative partnerships
• Two-thirds of respondents utilised the MAV online Walking and Bike Riding Resource Hub
• Developing and sharing local case studies have helped councils
• Stronger relationships with the Department of Transport are welcomed, and remain crucial
• Funding and external approval issues are key barriers for councils.

2020 Survey Results

MAV conducted an initial survey with councils in 2020 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 results.

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.

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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.

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

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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

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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

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Victorian strategies and guidance

• CoDesign Studio - Neighbourhoods made by neighbours, Guide to community-led placemaking
• Spatial variation in cycling in Greater Melbourne (PDF - 1.72MB)
• 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)
• VicHealth community survey of walking and bike riding attitudes and behaviours in a Covid-19 environment (PDF - 85KB)
• VicHealth - Strategies to encourage active travel to school (PDF - 1.03MB)
• VicRoads: Bike Ed
• Victoria Walks – Applying Nudge theory to walking: designing behavioural interventions to promote walking (PDF - 2.63MB)
• Victoria Walks – Change to Walking program
• Victoria Walks – Guide to measuring walking
• Victoria Walks – Research on walking, cycling and transport
• Wayfound Victoria: Wayfinding Guidelines

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Cycling and Walking Australia and New Zealand

Cycling and Walking Australia and New Zealand (CWANZ) is the Australasian lead reference group for walking and bike riding on transport and recreation networks. Members include senior and executive level leaders from all Australian state and territory transport agencies, New Zealand Transport Agency, local government representatives and leading advocacy groups and peak bodies for walking, cycling, health and mobility.

CWANZ provides a collaborative forum across Australia and New Zealand to share knowledge and innovation on strategic initiatives and projects that enhance outcomes for walking and cycling. Their resources include a range of fact sheet:

• Benefits of Lower Speed Limits (PDF - 1.15MB)
• Costs of Transport and Physical Inactivity (PDF - 290KB)
• Economic Benefits of Walking and Cycling (PDF - 248KB)
• Health Benefits of Active Transport (PDF - 1.02MB)
• More People Bike Riding – Keys to Success (PDF - 457KB)
• More People Walking – Keys to Success (PDF - 452KB)
• Safety (PDF - 758KB)

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National and international strategies and guidance

• AARP & Team Better Block - Pop-up placemaking toolkit
• ARUP - Tactical Urbanism research into success factors
• Auckland Transport (NZ) - Safe Speeds Programme and Urban Street and Road Design Guide (PDF - 11.6MB)
• Australian Transport and Infrastructure Council Australian Transport Assessment and Planning Guidelines M4 Active Trave] (PDF - 2.18MB)
• Australian Transport and Infrastructure Council Australian Transport Assessment and Planning Guidelines M5 Travel Behaviour Change
• Behavioural Insights Team UK – EAST four simple ways to apply behavioural insights
• British Columbia Ministry for Transportation - Active Transportation Design Guide
• Connecting Transportation and Health: A Guide to Communication and Collaboration (PDF - 2.8MB)
• Federation of Canadian Municipalities - Covid-19 Street Rebalancing Guide
• 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)
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Transport for NSW - NSW Guide to Walkable Public Space (PDF - 8.65MB)
• Transport for NSW - NSW Pop up transport
• Transport for NSW - Walking Space Guide Towards Pedestrian Comfort and Safety (PDF - 6.15MB)
• 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
• Welsh Government (UK) - Active Travel Guidance - Feb 2020 (PDF - 10.6MB)

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Resources

How Can We Get More People Using Active Transport? Active Travel Research Priorities
VicHealth and Monash University collaborated to identify active transport research gaps and priorities.

• This report (PDF - 2.31MB) summarises the findings and recommendations.

Victorian LGA Bike Riding Typologies - Monash University
In late 2020, VicHealth and Monash University conducted a study of over 4000 people across 37 local government areas (LGA) in Victoria to understand how many people were interested in riding a bike. Based on survey results, respondents were categorised according to their comfort in various environments.

• Read the summary or the full report.

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Media Coverage

A snapshot of some interesting recent media articles.