Footscray Traders Association urges council to increase spending on much-needed bicycle infrastructure. FTA president, Grant Miles, questions Maribyrnong Council abilty to transform central Footscray into a pedestrian and cycle precinct without a proper level of infrastructure investment. "Council has been reducing car access and parking in central Footscray, but people won't make the switch from cars to bicycles until they have a safe cycling infrastructure. The infrastructure we need won't appear while Maribyrnong spends only a piddling $2.85 per resident. In comparison, the City of Yarra spends $24.64 per resident (per year)". 

"MARIBYRNONG is falling behind the pack, slipping adrift of other metropolitan councils on bike-related spending, according to the Bicycle Network Victoria's latest analysis. The Bicycle Expenditure Index (BiXE), compiled by the network, ranks each council based on the total bike-related spending allocated in its annual budget divided by the number of residents in the municipality. A benchmark of $5 per resident is considered an amount that will adequately improve bike facilities and increase cycling rates." ,, "Maribyrnong spent $2.85 per resident in 2010-11, making it one of only two "inner zone" councils to fall below the $5 threshold. The latest figure was below the inner zone average of $10.16 per resident and below Maribyrnong's five-year average of $4.16.The Melbourne-wide average is $12.43 per resident."


See original article, Maribyrnong Weekly