Merri-bek BUG

Merri-bek Bicycle User Group

Archive for August, 2010

It’s magpie season!

News from Simon Stainsby at Moreland Council:

If you encounter an angry maggie in your travels, you can now use the internet to let people know.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment are using Twitter and Google Maps to compile a list of Magpie Swoop sites across Melbourne.

To advise DSE of bird swooping locations:

Call: 136 186
Email: swoop.vic@dse.vic.gov.au
Twitter: Send a tweet to @dse_vic with the location details and #swoopvic

Find out more at www.dse.vic.gov.au/swoop

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Meet State Election Candidates – meeting # 1

Meet State Election Candidates – Brunswick & Pascoe Vale
Meeting # 1 – ALP Candidates – Jane Garrett & Christine Campbell
7:30pm, Thursday 26th August 2010
Edinburgh Castle Hotel, Brunswick
(in the private dining room out back)
RSVP: ms.phuong.l@gmail.com

Dear Moreland BUG,

Come hear from your state political candidates on their stance on cycling issues.

At the Moreland BUG we believe there is a lot that can be achieved for cyclists and cycling infrastructure by state government. We have therefore invited the candidates from the major parties contesting the upcoming November state election to come and meet with the BUG.

It will be an opportunity to hear from each of the candidates and to put questions and raise issues of concern.

As the Moreland local council area is largely covered by two state electorates we have asked the candidates from Brunswick and Pascoe Vale to come and meet with us.

On Thursday August 26 Jane Garrett and Christine Campbell, ALP candidates, will join us at the Edinburgh Castle at 7:30pm.

We have also invited candidates from The Greens and the Liberal Party to meet with us during proceeding months and more information will follow as the parties confirm their availability.

The response to the Local Council draft budget was fantastic in achieving better outcomes for Moreland cyclists. This is another great opportunity to demonstrate to our state government the importance of cyclist issues in our area. So please put the date in you diary and come along.

For those that have not come before we meet in the back meeting room at the Edinburgh Castle from 7:30 to 9pm.

Yours Sincerely,
Stephen & Phuong

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Upgrade to Western Ring Road to affect Moonie Ponds Creek shared path mid Sep 2010 – end of 2012


Works are progressing to upgrade the M80 Ring Road between Calder Freeway and Sydney Road. These works are being delivered by the Tulla Sydney Alliance which is a partnership between VicRoads, Thiess, Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) and Hyder.

As part of these works, a new bridge will be built over the Moonee Ponds Creek to the north of the existing alignment. The bridge will be approximately 250 metres long, 7 lanes wide and approximately 7 metres higher than the existing road alignment.

To ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists during construction, the shared user paths to the north of the M80 Ring Road and underneath the freeway bridge will be temporarily closed. While the path is closed, the project will provide a detour to maintain pedestrian and cyclist access through the area. Please see attached diagram for the proposed works and detour.

In mid August 2010, we will start to construct a new shared user path on the south of the M80 Ring Road, along the VicRoads road reserve linking the Moonee Ponds Creek trail to Langton Street shared user path.

Works will be delivered progressively during August and September to construct:
• A new crossing over the Moonee Ponds Creek on the south of the M80 Ring Road bridge. These works are expected to take one week to complete.
• A new shared user path on the north of the M80 Ring Road guiding pedestrians and cyclists from the existing path west towards the Katrina Drive pedestrian crossing. These works are expected to take one week to complete.
• A new shared user path along the road reserve to connect Beckett Street North to the Moonee Ponds Creek trail. This work is expected to take one week to complete.

The detour is expected to be opened to pedestrians and cyclists from mid September 2010 and will be in place until the Tulla Sydney Alliance works are complete at the end of 2012. While the detour is in place, the shared user path on the north side of the freeway and under the M80 Ring Road is expected to be closed to pedestrians and cyclists from mid September 2010 and reopened at the end of 2012.

The works will take place during the day between 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday.

Should the project experience bad weather, the works will be rescheduled to the next available day.

Once the path under the M80 Ring Road is re-opened to pedestrians and cyclists, this temporary shared user path diversion will be removed and the area will be revegetated as part of the wider project landscaping strategy.

If you have any questions, please contact the project on 1300 297 090 (chose option 2 followed by option 2 again) or email community@tullasydney.com.au.

Yours faithfully
Ebony Fisher
Stakeholder and Communications Manager
Tulla Sydney Alliance

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Changes to intersection of Canning & Pigdon Streets

From: Kate Simnett – Kate.Simnett@yarracity.vic.gov.au

Hi there,

On 17 August 2010, Yarra Council will undertake works at Canning and Pigdon streets, North Carlton, to restore the roundabout rules at the intersection.

As you may be aware, Council changed the intersection in April 2010 to give priority to cyclists, with the aim of reducing potential conflict between cyclists and vehicles on this busy commuter route. Council has closely monitored this intersection and it is apparent that the works have not reduced the number of accidents and near–misses as had been hoped.

Restoring the roundabout rules will quickly remove any confusion experienced by drivers and cyclists, and increase the overall feeling of safety.

Cyclists and drivers are reminded that roundabout rules now apply at the intersection. Council will continue to monitor the intersection and investigate further improvements that could be made.

For more information, please contact myself via the details below or;

Jane Waldock, Manager Strategic Transport, on 9205 5733 or at Jane.Waldock@yarracity.vic.gov.au

Bhavin Shah, Traffic Engineer, on 9205 5778 or at Bhavin.Shah@yarracity.vic.gov.au

Please pass this on to your networks.

Cheers,
Kate Simnett
Acting Transport Coordinator
City of Yarra PO Box 168 RICHMOND 3121
Monday – Thursday
T (03) 9205 5734 M 0438 616 097 F (03) 8417-6666
E kate.simnett@yarracity.vic.gov.au
W www.yarracity.vic.gov.au

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