Western Metropolitan Region Trails Strategic Plan - West Trails
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Brimbank City Council Ordinary Council Meeting Agenda Officer Reports 28 Report 12.11 – Western Metropolitan Region Trails Strategic Plan - West Trails Directorate: Infrastructure and Environment Director: Neil Whiteside Policy: Council Plan 2013-2017, Cycling and Walking Strategy 2008 Attachment: 1. West Trails Strategic Plan 2015 Purpose For Council to consider the Western Metropolitan Region Trails Strategic Plan, as at Attachment 1 to this report. 1. Background The Western Metropolitan Region Trails Strategic Plan (West Trails) is an initiative to improve the connectivity, quality and usage of regional trails in Melbourne’s western region over the next 10 years. The development of West Trails was driven by a steering committee consisting of representatives from the following partners: • Brimbank City Council • Hobsons Bay City Council • Maribyrnong City Council • Melton City Council • Moonee Valley City Council • Wyndham City Council and • Sport and Recreation Victoria. West Trails has been developed with the goal to establish an interconnected and well- used regional trail network that is accessible for all pedestrians and cyclists. The partnership of councils and Sport and Recreation Victoria was formed in February 2013, and chaired by a representative from Hobsons Bay City Council. A consultant was appointed to develop a strategic plan in September 2013. This was funded by contributions from each partner. Regular meetings of the steering group to develop the strategic plan were held from November 2013 to September 2015. 2. Consultation Community consultation was undertaken during the development of the strategic plan to identify with the community and bicycle user groups, the challenges in using the current bicycle network. This consultation has informed many of the recommended actions within West Trails. Consultation within Brimbank was undertaken on 13 September 2014 in Buckingham Reserve, Sunshine West. This location was chosen to capture cyclists using the Kororoit Creek Trail and to casual park users. 3. Analysis West Trails provides a coordinated approach to developing the strategic trail network. In developing the strategic plan, all trails within the six (6) participating municipalities were examined to determine the regional trail network. Meeting No. 397 24 November 2015 Brimbank City Council Ordinary Council Meeting Agenda Officer Reports 29 Report 12.11 – Western Metropolitan Region Trails Strategic Plan - West Trails (continued) The Brimbank Cycling and Walking Strategy 2008 was referenced in the development of West Trails, and informs the Brimbank actions. The Sydenham Trail shared path has been identified as the highest priority of this regional approach. As a regional plan, West Trails specifically provides: • A defined network of regional trails within Western Metropolitan Melbourne, specifically referencing the gaps in provision to address connectivity • A priority list of new trail and improvement projects such as resurfacing • Guidelines for trail branding and supporting facilities to assist and encourage participation, specifically consistent signage and trail information across the region • Opportunities for the various land managers to continue to work together to implement the strategy’s actions • Business case information to support future funding applications • Increased tourism opportunities. 4. Resource Implications All future projects will be considered as part of Council’s annual budget process. A regional approach will provide increased opportunities to attract State Government funding. West Trails aligns with goals of Council’s Cycling and Walking Strategy, which is included in Council’s 10 Year Capital Works Program. 5. Compliance Statement This report has been prepared in accordance with the Council Plan 2013-2017 and Cycling and Walking Strategy 2008. 6. Officer Recommendation That Council endorses the Western Metropolitan Region Trails Strategic Plan - West Trails. Meeting No. 397 24 November 2015 WEST TRAILS Draft Strategic Plan page 1 Report V5 August 2015 WEST TRAILS Draft Strategic Plan page 3 page ii WEST TRAILS Draft Strategic Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Western Metropolitan Regional Trails Strategic Plan (‘West What are the benefits of regional trails? Trails’) is a strategic project seeking to improve the quality and Regional trails can provide a wide range of benefits to society, usage of regional trails in Western Metropolitan Melbourne including; over the next decade. • health & wellbeing benefits associated with people being The project study area comprises the six local government active and social when using trails authority areas within Western Metropolitan Melbourne, being • transport benefits, associated with a regional trails network the Cities of Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melton, providing active transport alternatives for day to day Moonee Valley and Wyndham. Sport and Recreation Victoria is movement and commuting a funding partner for this project. • environmental benefits associated with encouraging active transport modes over motorised transport options What are regional trails? • economic benefits associated with attracting visitors to an Regional trails have been defined by this study as those that allow area to use the trail network for multiple user groups (including pedestrians and cyclists), The study provides a summary of these benefits that can be have an off-road focus, are relatively long and continuous in used to support business cases for regional trail improvement length and are of regional scale, purpose and/or impact. projects. Other key characteristics and functions typical of regional trails include: The regional trails of Western Metropolitan Melbourne A total of 19 existing and proposed regional trails have been • Transport: providing access and connections to destinations identified that meet the definition of a regional trail developed by through active transport modes this study. These trails are mapped in the figure on the following • Recreation: providing recreational opportunities that are page. Of these trails, all but two existed to some degree at the accessible and attractive to a range of user groups (including time this study was undertaken (with the exceptions being the walking, jogging and cycling). future trail associated with the Outer Metropolitan Ring Road • Economic benefit: the potential to deliver economic and the Western Freeway Trail). Of those that do currently benefits of regional importance (including promoting exist, the majority include some scope for future construction, economic development and/or tourism) either to extend the existing trail or to fill gaps. • Ease of access: the ability to be readily accessed by the majority of the community living and working within the region, as well as by visitors. WEST TRAILS Draft Strategic Plan page iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Figure: Plan of project study area showing existing and proposed regional trails page iv WEST TRAILS Draft Strategic Plan Community engagement outcomes Trail improvement preferences The community has been engaged as a part of this project. The consultation asked respondents to note which of a broad This included an on-line questionnaire that received over 250 range of options would be most likely to increase their use of responses, on-site consultation events and targeted meetings regional trails in Western Metropolitan Melbourne. There were with key stakeholder groups. The engagement has provided four responses (from the 14 options provided) that gained useful insights into the way people use regional trails and the significantly more support than the other options. These are things they would like to see improved. listed in order from most to least popular below: • Better connections between trails Trail usage • Better connections to destinations The consultation found that two trails stood out in terms • Greater length of trails of usage, with each having been used by greater than 60% of • Better trail surfaces respondents in the previous year. The two trails that were most used were: The outcomes of this multiple-choice survey format were backed up by written and verbal feedback received, with many • Coastal Trail (a part of the broader Bay Trail that runs people noting the discontinuous nature of the existing regional around the edge of Port Phillip Bay) trail network. • Maribyrnong River Trail A second tier of trails had been used by between 30% and 50% What are the key issues for the regional trail network in of users in the last year, listed below from most to least used. Western Metropolitan Melbourne? This report has a broad scope, covering the wide range of • Federation Trail topics relevant to regional trails, including trail infrastructure • Moonee Ponds Creek Trail (including defining standards and guidelines for trail and facility • Kororoit Creek Trail construction), trail management (including issues related to • Skeleton Creek Trail funding, construction, maintenance and promotion), and trail • The M80 Trail (Western Ring Road) marketing (including to both local users and tourists). • Werribee River Trail Of these topic areas, a number of items have emerged as being The consultation also found that the majority of trail users the key issues impacting upon the quality and use of the regional usually used the regional trails once per week or more, with trail network in Western Metropolitan Melbourne. The three close to a quarter using them most days. key issues identified are trail connections, trail funding, and trail management.