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Driving long-term changes in transportation

Transport is central to our daily lives; connecting us to work, education, healthcare, shopping, leisure and social activities. It is mostly delivered through a network of roads, rail, and pathways, supporting a range of modes and everyday activities.

The responsibility for transport network planning is shared between Council and the State Government. Local road and cycle and pedestrian paths are owned and managed by Council, while the Department of Transport and Planning oversees planning and management of the arterial roads, such as Hopkins Street, along with public transport.

In Maribyrnong, we're faced with complex, and at times competing, transport needs. Our future transport choices can directly impact the liveability of our municipality and contribute to our efforts in addressing climate change.

Some of the challenges are:

  • a growing population, forecast to increase by more than 60,000 by 2051
  • much of the arterial road system is congested - the two north-south routes are disjointed, and east-west routes narrow with limited opportunity to improve cycling infrastructure
  • lack of effective access and connectivity within the network
  • narrow roads limit ability to provide enough space for all
  • major construction projects are exacerbating current issues with truck movements increasing on suburban roads
  • the rail system is struggling to meet demand and tram and bus networks are slow, often over-crowded, and not well-connected
  • balancing competing needs of cyclists and pedestrians wanting better connectivity and infrastructure with parking needs of businesses and residents
  • managing emerging technologies and initiatives such as e-bikes and autonomous vehicles.

To help guide Council's transport planning and our sustainability and advocacy priorities, we are developing a new Integrated Transport Strategy (ITS). The strategy aims to facilitate safe, efficient, and sustainable movement around our municipality, manage traffic congestion, inform decisions on road space allocation, advocate for improved public transport, and support alternative means of transport.

By looking at transport as a connected network - rather than separate or competing travel modes - we hope to shape transport in Maribyrnong into a connected, sustainable, and coordinated system. Central to this will be promoting more convenient access to key destinations and reducing the need to travel by private motor vehicles.

We've prepared a discussion paper capturing current challenges and opportunities, along with six key directions to inform an initial conversation with our community. This includes seeking initial feedback on a north/south cycling corridor to connect Footscray to Maribyrnong, in line with Council's commitment at the 18 October 2023 Council meeting.

Please share your thoughts with us on both integrated transport planning and a north/south cycling corridor via the survey and questionnaire below.

Feedback closes midnight Sunday 15 September 2024.

Our initial thinking

Six strategic directions have been identified to guide Council's delivery of an Integrated Transport Strategy. A new Integrated Transport Strategy will consider walking, vehicle movements, cycling, freight, parking, heavy vehicle movements, public transport and congestion management as well as the need to prioritise transport options.

  • Maximise the Benefits of Active Transport

    Desired outcome:

    A connected and safe walking and cycling network giving people choice in how they travel, while receiving the health, environmental, and financial benefits. This considers that retrofitting an existing transport network to provide for high levels of walkability and cycling comfort can be complex and costly, and often requires some reduction in the level of service for motorists, or a loss of on-street parking.

  • Adopt a Movement & Place Approach

    Desired outcome:

    The design of Maribyrnong’s transport network will consider that streets are not only used to move people and goods but also as destinations where people stay, play, and enjoy, and how these functions can best interact. This considers that many inner-city streets support multiple uses (cycling, walking, driving) that often conflict with a desire for high amenity and it is not always practical to prioritise one mode of transport over another.

  • Improve Mode Choice and Accessibility

    Desire outcome:

    Residents have access to a broad range of choices to meet their local trips and journeys between the places they live, work, and visit. This includes well-connected, frequent, and comfortable public transport integrated with land use and other mobility networks. This recognises the gap in how public transport networks are planned and provision often falls behind the need.

  • Focus on Sustainable Development

    Desired Outcome:

    All new development will be well located, integrated with transport, and support thriving places. This recognises, given current modelling, there will be an additional 28,000 residential vehicles needing on-site parking and an additional 80,000 trips per day which the arterial road network will not be able to accommodate in the longer term.

  • Become a Transport Innovation and Change Leader

    Desired outcome:

    Maribyrnong will be a leader in innovation leveraging off its partnerships with manufacturing, education, and health industries, and be among the first to trial new approaches and technologies our community will be first to benefit from. This will require some flexibility and acceptance of change.

  • Move Towards a Safe System

    Desired outcome:

    Build on previous initiatives to deliver a road network aligned with the Safe System design principles to help work towards reducing fatal and serious injury crashes to zero. This considers that as more vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists enter the transport system so too does exposure to crash risk.

Be part of the initial conversation

Be part of the initial conversation by completing the online questionnaire and sharing your thoughts on a North-South Corridor in Maribyrnong.

You can also speak to Council offers at the following locations on these times and dates:

  • Sunday 28 July, 11am-1pm at National Tree Planting Day, Burndap Park (17B Magazine Way)
  • Tuesday 30 July, 12-1pm at Braybrook Community Hub
  • Monday 5 August, 3-4pm at Footscray Station
  • Saturday 17 August, 9.30am-1.30pm at Yarraville Farmers Market

Your feedback will be considered in the development of an updated Draft Integrated Transport Strategy. This will be shared back with the community for further feedback in February 2025.