Keep the Wheels Turning

Throughout 2020, lockdown restrictions provided more time for essential outdoor exercise such as cycling, with quieter streets offering novice cyclists the opportunity to become more confident riding on the road. As locals return to their regular commutes, increasing vehicular traffic, it is important to maintain the welfare of the growing number of cyclists on our local roads.

The current ‘Glenferrie Road Placemaking Project’ prioritises a greater balance between bicycles, pedestrians, public transport, and cars to reduce congestion and increase the safety, amenity, and atmosphere of Glenferrie Road. The 2020-2021 council budget proposal received a number of submissions from the local community specifically mentioning cycling amenities, particularly the construction of the highly-anticipated Hawthorn to Box Hill Trail which would link Glenferrie to broader bicycle networks.

Glenferrie is well-placed to become a cycling centre of Boroondara. As a designated major activity centre for shopping, transport, education, and other community services, Glenferrie has the potential to attract greater cycling to and within the precinct through enhancing community support and infrastructure such as on-road bike lanes and off-road paths, better links to bicycle networks, and bike parking facilities.

To support local bicycle use, the City of Boroondara offers bike skills workshops such as the upcoming ‘Hands on basic bike maintenance’ on 16 March at the Hawthorn Library. Council also runs school holiday bike programs and provides local schools with supportive education programs to encourage more local children to travel independently and safely to school.

Glenferrie Primary School is one of the local schools getting involved with the annual Ride2School Day on Friday 19 March. Organised by Bicycle Network, the day invites schools around the country to encourage their students to ride their bikes to school and raise money for World Bicycle Relief.

The Boroondara Bicycle Strategy prioritises the encouragement and safety of cycling in the local area, including improving cycling amenities in Glenferrie. The ten-year strategy, however, has not been updated since it was adopted in 2008. City of Boroondara underwent community consultation in March 2020 to draft a new bicycle strategy for the next ten years, which was expected to be released mid-2020 but has not yet been made publicly available.

With improved cycling infrastructure and education, Glenferrie could offer safer roads and support more healthy, affordable, sustainable, and diverse ways to travel around the precinct - not just for our local students, but for the benefit of the wider Glenferrie community.