The North East Link project is poised to widen the Eastern Freeway between Bulleen and Tram Rds.
The State Government says they will
‘upgrade the Eastern Freeway‘ Adding another 6 lanes will need at least 10m of space on both sides of the current motorway. This means most of the Koonung creek and wetlands will be under concrete.
‘slash travel times‘ If people can drive to the outer Dandenongs faster, they’ll start building houses there. In the absence of public transport, they will then come back along the motorways to the city and suburbs for work and pleasure, such as the Doncaster shopping centre. Before long, the new motorway and local streets are hopelessly congested. This phenomenon is known as induced demand. Given the old Diesel clunckers on our roads, double the lanes = double the pollution, more chance of children with asthma, more chance of residents with lung cancer.
‘plant 30,000 trees‘ To make way for the motorway, an estimated 2,500 old-growth trees have to be felled, in times of a climate crisis. Saplings are no match for old trees when it comes to carbon storage. “[A] single big tree can add the same amount of carbon to the forest within a year as is contained in an entire mid-sized tree“. Without old trees, it will take decades until you can enjoy a park on top of the Koonung creek. Sharing the remaining narrow path with cyclists and scooters will not help.
Ask the state government to review the need to widen the motorway and work with Whitehorse City Council and residents’ organisations to save the Koonung creek.
Share this petition in person or use the QR code for your own material.Download QR code
WATAG conducted a survey in late 2023 to check if they do.
A detailed report prepared from an analysis of survey answers, reveals a low awareness of Easy Ride Routes among cyclists and drivers in Whitehorse. Read the report here.
The survey evaluates Easy Ride Routes (ERRs) in the City of Whitehorse and unveils concerning findings about both cyclists’ and drivers’ understanding of these cycling-focused streets.
(As background information, click here and also here for Whitehorse Council information about Easy Ride Routes. )
Despite being primarily cyclists themselves, only 28% of respondents comprehend the special status of ERRs when driving cars on them. While 60% claim to watch out for cyclists on ERRs, comments suggest this vigilance extends to any road. Most cyclists use ERRs recreationally, with women cycling less frequently and exhibiting lower confidence. Only 37% of all participants are willing to cycle on arterials, raising connectivity concerns. Though only 45% utilize ERRs, 75% of those who do feel safer on them. This emphasises the need for safer, separate lanes on connecting roads – lanes that are not designated and used for car parking – and increased public awareness of ERRs, particularly among drivers.
Here are examples of situations reported by cyclists in the survey, which make them afraid to use connecting roads marked with so-called cycling lanes:
Marked cycle lanes that are used as car parking spaces
Marked cycle lanes that disappear
Here’s your chance to have another say about ERRs. Use Comments section below.
Unfortunately due to the vagaries of Public Liability Insurance for participating companies and the refusal of City of Whitehorse to provide cover. Council responded to a request to do this with the following statement:
“As this event is on council land which council is a host we still should manage the event like council are the event holder. The event should also be managed through the event permit process given you have several vendors attending on the day. As part of the process, a $20,000,000 current public liability certificate of currency is required. Council can’t be accepting liability on behalf of other organisations/groups. Council cannot agree to indemnify these organisations by signing any waiver. In the event there is any claim or personal injury/property damage following this event, they will be managed and triaged accordingly. To explain further, the participant is using an e-bike and falls breaking their leg. The claim should be lodged against the e-bike company but council will be brought into the event due to it being on council land. We may not necessarily be found liable but may have a possible 10% exposure due to hosting the event. The majority of the liability will fall on the e-bike company which is why we don’t agree to indemnity clauses. Additionally, the e-bike company having patrons signing waiver within their stores does not necessarily mean they can subrogates their rights from the injured party to not pursue a claim. But, we (council) are also not in a position to comment on the waivers these organisations have or use within their day to day business.”
A compromise was also suggested – the companies attend, talk, have bikes on display, but NOT offer test rides, as that’s the high risk activity. Unfortunately, Council has still found that while low risk, there is still a risk that providing advice could lead to a claim, and while most of the claim would go onto the bike shop, Council would still have some exposure.
WATAG is sorry that this situation has occurred. We still recommend the following companies because of their support for the event.
KWOLITY electric tricycles with a sturdy all-steel frame and patented innovative Tilting Frame Function so that when cornering, the rear wheels stay firmly on the ground to avoid the tricycle tipping over.
E-bike specialists Sparque will have information about a range of packages to buy, salary package, lease or even rent for a month to really try out your new bike. AND a special try-before-you buy offer.
The local branch of 99 Bikes – one of Australia’s largest bike stores – are terrific advocates for e-bikes. They will be there with some bikes to try and to give advice.
Local specialist e-bike suppliers REV-Bikes will be there too with some bikes you may not have seen before
Whilst here you might like to consider the following information about recumbent bikes
You’ll be surprised at how they help some older folk who want to keep active but are a little unsure how to do this safely and in a way which meets their changing physical needs.
And there is academic research to supports the use of e-trikes and e-bikes as a way to help older people stay active. For example:
A study published in the Journal of Transport & Health found that e-bikes can increase physical activity levels in older adults, particularly among those who are less physically active.
A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that e-bikes can have positive effects on older adults’ physical fitness and well-being, and can promote healthy aging.
A systematic review published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research concluded that e-bikes have the potential to increase physical activity and reduce the risk of chronic disease in older adults.
A study published in the journal “Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment” found that e-bikes can increase the level of physical activity among older adults and improve their mobility and independence.
A study published in the “Journal of Transport and Health” found that e-bikes are a viable alternative mode of transportation for older adults, and can help to increase physical activity levels and improve quality of life.
Another study published in the “International Journal of Sustainable Transportation” found that e-bikes can provide older adults with a more accessible and convenient form of transportation, which can lead to increased physical activity levels and improved health outcomes.
Science Direct reported on “Physical activity of electric bicycle users compared to conventional bicycle users and non-cyclists” The study showed that •E-bikers take longer trips by e-bike and bicycle, compared to cyclists, •Physical activity gains from active travel are similar in e-bikers and cyclists.•Substituting all car trips with e-bike use leads to a g big gain in metabolic activity.• Transport modes substituted by the e-bike are still used frequently afterwards
These studies suggest that e-bikes and e-trikes can be beneficial for older adults in Australia and provide evidence that supports their use as a way to help older people stay active. However, it is important to consider the specific needs and abilities of each individual before deciding to use an e-bike or e-trike, and to ensure that proper training and support are received for safe use. As a starting point. come to the EXPO!!
No matter how you choose to travel about in Whitehorse, we’d like to know your views. To reward you for taking the time, we’ve arranged with some local traders to offer a range of prizes which we’ll randomly award to some lucky survey participants.
The survey closes on December 15th 2023 when the prizes will be drawn.Winners notified by email
NOTE: Several articles in this newsletter are repeated from previous newsletters – some with updates. We think the messages in these articles are very important, and need repeating. AND…very unfortunately, we’ll probably have to repeat these messages again in the future!
Whitehorse is on the Traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people. We acknowledge them as Traditional Owners and respect their Elders for the way they cared for the land in our area for millennia.
WATAG is registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission ABN 63 938 570 447.
Being registered as a charity with the ACNC demonstrates WATAG’s commitment to transparency and good governance.
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Whitehorse Active Transport Action Group Inc. 