Park bike cages on our turf, say eastern councils

Eastern Transport Coalition media release:

New model bike cages that save space and improve cyclists’ security are needed in Melbourne’s outer east,a council transport advocacy group has said.

The Eastern Transport Coalition, representing one million residents of the city’s outer east, have submitteda list of priority stations to the office of Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky.

ETC chair and Yarra Ranges Cr Samantha Dunn said the group was invited to submit the priority needs list during a meeting with advisers to Ms Kosky and she now hoped for a positive response – and swift action.

“The Brumby Government has invested more than $1million in a program to install the new bike cages, or Parkiteers, and we applaud this innovative program,” Cr Dunn said.

“But we think it’s time that some of that innovation was shared with our region.

“A total of 23 cages were installed last year, 18 of them in metropolitan Melbourne, and the Government committed to funding another 10 Parkiteers this year.

“The ETC represents more than one million people living in Melbourne’s outer east, but of the 18 metro locations provided with a Parkiteer to date only four are on train lines that service any of our seven member municipalities.”

The priority list submitted in writing to Ms Kosky’s office this week included Belgrave and Lilydale stations,both important transport hubs for the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

Other stations identified as priorities for the region were:
􀂃 Ringwood station
􀂃 Laburnum station
􀂃 Yarraman station
􀂃 Upper Ferntree Gully station

Cr Dunn said she looked forward to a reply from the Minister’s office, and to an announcement that would lead to improved services for cyclist commuters across the region.

The Eastern Transport Coalition represents about one million people living in the municipalities of Yarra Ranges, Monash, Whitehorse, Dandenong, Manningham, Knox and Maroondah. The ETC advocates for better public transport to reduce the level of car dependency and secure the economic, social andenvironmental wellbeing of Melbourne's outer east.