GREATER GEELONG PLANNING SCHEME 21.26 INTEGRATED TRANSPORT 17/07/2008 C116 Importance and Key Issues Transport systems not only affect urban form, but are an important consideration in assisting economic development, sustainable environmental development and quality of life. The attributes of Greater Geelong, the city, the coast and the country are all made accessible to the community through Geelong’s existing transport system. The system comprises road, rail, sea and air infrastructure which accommodates various private and public modes including cars, buses, trucks, ships, bicycles, trains, aircraft and pedestrians. Integrated transport infrastructure links are important to Geelong’s economic development. Similarly, transport links are important to the future tourism development of the municipality. The City has a bicycle network of nearly 200 kilometres of on-road routes, and 85 kilometres of off road trails. As Geelong’s industry and population base grows, placing increasing demand on the transport systems, it is vital that existing transport infrastructure performs efficiently to service these needs to facilitate growth. However, this needs to occur having regard to the amenity, environmental, social and equity values of the community. Transport needs and issues for the municipality in the coming years include: Improved road safety, particularly on the major roads and highways; Improved access and reduced travel times for freight and private commuters between Geelong and Melbourne and other regional centres; Improved public transport services within the Central City, southern suburbs and on the Bellarine Peninsula. The need to integrate the local road, rail and air systems into the national transport network; Reduction of the adverse impacts of roads on abutting properties and pedestrians so as to improve the quality of life of Geelong residents (ie traffic calming); Improved access to major tourist areas including Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast; The need for an intermodal facility either close to the Port or outside of urban Geelong; Linking of the Port to the Standard Gauge rail network; The continued implementation of a ring road for Geelong incorporating the strategic recognition of a southern connection between the Princes Highway and the Surf Coast Highway; The need for traffic management measures to deal with the ever increasing impact of tourist traffic at peak times throughout the year. The Geelong Outer Freeway Reservation, also known as the Western Bypass, was incorporated into the Geelong Regional Planning Scheme in 1980 to provide a long term solution to Geelong’s future traffic needs. The construction of this road over the period 2005 to 2009 will complete the road by pass on the western perimeter of urban Geelong, linking the Princes Highway in the north and south west. The Western Bypass Reservation (henceforth to be called the Geelong Ring Road) has traditionally been the boundary of the westward expansion of urban Geelong and that remains Council’s policy. Future planning and development along the Geelong Ring Road Reservation should be cognisant of the potential for significant passing traffic volumes. MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC STATEMENT - CLAUSE 21.26 PAGE 1 OF 6 GREATER GEELONG PLANNING SCHEME VicRoads and/or Council will continue to plan for the completion of identified major road connections in Geelong and provide for acquisition of the land required for proposed routes through the application of the PAO. Investigations into the feasibility and suitability of eastern, western and southern bypasses of Geelong in the form of the Geelong Ring Road Strategic Study (VicRoads, 2002) concluded that an eastern bypass somewhere over or under Corio Bay between Point Henry and Point Lillias is not needed and has poor feasibility for the foreseeable future. These investigations reaffirmed the feasibility of the Geelong Ring Road and established a need for a ring road link between the Ring Road and the Surf Coast Highway. It recommended investigations to confirm the need for regional connectivity between the Ring Road and the Bellarine Peninsula. Since 1975 a bypass route to the east of Drysdale-Clifton Springs has been proposed and this forms the southern and eastern boundary to the growth of the townships. Whilst current and projected growth and traffic data do not indicate a need for construction in the short to medium terms, longer term planning by VicRoads supports continued acquisition of the land for the bypass, and a PAO3 has been applied accordingly. The Geelong to Melbourne rail line services Lara, Little River and Werribee and hosts regular passenger services. Travel times are in the order of one hour. Improvements to the system could significantly affect the potential accessibility (and therefore attractiveness) of Geelong and its role as an alternative residential location to the western suburbs of Melbourne. The southern suburbs of Geelong, the growth areas of the past 20 years, have good road access. Despite the main Melbourne to Warrnambool railway line passing these areas there is no railway station in the area (the closest being the South Geelong station). The residents of the southern suburbs, Deakin University students and residents of the future growth corridor would significantly benefit from a railway station being constructed. Council supports investigations into the selection of a suitable site. The City’s location as the gateway to the Bellarine Peninsula, Surf Coast and Great Ocean Road generates conflict between local and recreational traffic particularly on weekends and during the peak summer holiday period. It is expected that the tourist use of these accesses to the Great Ocean Road and Peninsula is likely to increase thus placing greater demands on the City to upgrade roads supporting these coastal areas. Management of these conflicts will be an important traffic management priority. An efficient and effective transport network is vital for the Greater Geelong economy. The strength of the trade and commuting (8% of Geelong residents) connections between Geelong and Melbourne remain important. As these connections continue to strengthen linkages to northern and western Victoria are enhanced. The condition and suitability of road and rail connections to these areas including the Princes Highway west of Geelong will be important. Conflict between road transport and local amenity reduces the livability of urban areas. Subdivision practices that fail to clearly delineate the road hierarchy will result in inappropriate road use and traffic loads. A high proportion of arterial roads in the municipality have residential, school and commercial frontages and therefore require modification of their traffic function to complement abutting development. Although access to, from and within the Central Activities Area is good, through traffic is reducing the attractiveness of this precinct as a shopping and recreation area. Managing traffic flow by sharing the load between east-west city streets will enhance the amenity and overall viability of the CAA. Planning for travel by bicycle and for pedestrians is an important consideration in the preparation of local township structure plans and outline development plans for new growth areas. To maintain and foster further bicycle and pedestrian movements across the City future ‘outline’ planning needs to ensure that new facilities are provided and adequately link new areas into existing networks. These networks form key components of Council’s open space system. MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC STATEMENT - CLAUSE 21.26 PAGE 2 OF 6 GREATER GEELONG PLANNING SCHEME Objective 1 To provide an integrated transport system that serves the needs of residents, visitors, students, business and industry and supports the long-term environmental, economic and social sustainability of the municipality. Strategies Maximise Geelong’s transport assets and linkages with Melbourne to further develop trade and commuting connections. Provide for a safe and efficient network of local and arterial roads facilitating access to Geelong and the distribution of traffic through urban areas. Plan for future transport needs when considering the location and timing of urban growth. Capitalise on the benefits provided by the proximity of major transport linkages and assets, including the Princes Freeway, Port of Geelong, Avalon Airport, and the Geelong-Melbourne railway line. Plan for better linkages between different land uses with a view to improving and increasing bicycle and pedestrian movement. Protect road reservations for planned arterial roads and arterial road widenings. Improve transport links between existing and new residential areas, employment, community and retail facilities. Enhance the industrial and business transport linkages between industrial areas and road, rail and port infrastructure. Maximise use of the rail system for inter/intrastate carriage of bulk commodities. Develop key freight routes that assist efficient movements whilst protecting residential amenity and areas of environmental importance. Develop an inter-modal facility (truck, rail and ship) in a suitable location in North Geelong to increase transport efficiencies. Improve public transport service provision to provide wider transport choice and to facilitate ecologically sustainable development. Objective 2 To promote improvement to the public transport services and systems to meet the needs of a growing regional city and to better link the coastal and rural townships