Merri-bek BUG

Council will be upgrading the Upfield Path in early October.

A 200 metre section between Albion and Tinning Streets will be closed – users will not be able to use the area for the duration of the works. There is a detour some 40 metres to the east via Ilhan Lane.

The linked image shows a map of the detour.

Works are scheduled to start on 7 October and continue for around 5 weeks (weather permitting).

The works will improve the safety and convenience of users by:

• Reducing the steep slope on the approach to Albion Street
• Replacing the fence which has been gradually falling in to the rail reserve
• Building a retaining wall to stabilise the embankment.
• Using asphalt-coloured concrete for stability and longevity.

Lighting is part of the project but has been installed already (May 2013).

Cost of works – $200,000 approx.

Council apologises for any inconvenience.  

Moreland Council contact: Nicholas Elliot, Transport Projects Officer, 9240 1294.

I’m pretty excited by these works. It has been 3 to 4 years in the planning – there have been a number of hold ups due to difficulties of working in a rail reserve. The path has a steep approach down to Albion Street which is difficult, even frightening for inexperienced users, and for the parents of young children. This slope will be much reduced and so manageable by all cyclists and pedestrians. The works will stabilise the embankment which has gradually been slipping away, causing holes in the fencing – another unsettling experience for novice cyclists. The new lighting has already given a dark area a much needed boost and Council has received some compliments on the new ‘look’ and that the lights are low energy LEDs. Together with a new smooth, wider, fully fenced path, the area will receive a welcome urban make-over.

Regards

Nicholas Elliot

News from Nicholas Elliot, Transport Projects Officer at Moreland City Council:

Dear BUGees
Finally, proper bike parking at Barkly Square.
20 bikes can now park right at the front door, in 2 (ex) car bays.
Click this link for a picture of the rails being installed this morning.

The initiative is a partnership between Moreland Council and Barkly Square management. Council convinced them to give it a trial and loaned them our temporary/event parking rails on the condition that they were installed as close to the door as possible. We agreed to conduct surveys to show that they would be well used, that the economic return would be better than if just 2 cars parked there and that there would be no, or a lot less, bike parking opportunistically and cluttering up their entrance or trampling the garden beds. And they had to take away the “Please don’t park your bikes here” banners.

Barkly Square are interested in your feedback, so take a minute to ‘Like’ them on Facebook. They agreed they will supply the bike parking at the end of the trial if it is successful. So this might be an opportunity to convince them to put in the deluxe, roofed, model if they get a good response via social media.

Regards
Nicholas Elliot

Works affecting traffic on the Upfield Shared Path
Brunswick Baths
16 July – 28 July, 2012
Between 9 am and 3:30 pm

Please be aware that works on the wall abutting the bike path are required as part of the renovations to the Brunswick Baths.

The path will NOT be closed but will be narrowed on the wall side so that cyclists going in opposite directions will not be able to cycle past each other. The sections of closure are short (around 10m) and works will only occur between the morning and evening peaks; and not every day (e.g. outside painting is weather dependent).

Please stop and/or give way if necessary and exercise patience and care.

There may be short delays; it may be an inconvenience; so allow extra time for your journey if you have a deadline to meet.

If you have any questions or problems, please email or call Nicholas Elliot (p: 9240 1294), or Gordon Blake, Traffic Engineer (p: 9240 1155).

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News from Nicholas Elliot at Moreland Council:

Just a quick note to let you know that the De Chene Reserve Bridge that was damaged in the Xmas Day flash flood, has been reopened for pedestrians and cyclists. Cross with Care. The damaged hand rail will be repaired on Monday (Jan 23rd) – until then barricade tape has been placed across the gap.

The other bridge that was damaged, in the Edgars Creek park land near Ronald Street, will remain closed until it has been repaired. Repairs will start next week.

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Update: this work is now scheduled to start on Monday 24th October.

News from Simon at Council:

If you ride along the Merri Creek Trail in East Brunswick please be aware of the following works.

Contractors will be pruning trees near the ACES facility in East Brunswick (between CERES and Albion Street – Melways 30 B6).

The contractors will be pruning trees to remove dead wood and improve tree structure. The works seek to address branches overhanging the ACES facility and the Merri Creek Path.

Most of the works will be away from the path but there will be times when the contractors require vehicle access to the path to remove timber and branches.

The works area will be clearly signed and contractors have agreed to avoid obstructing the path during peak times to minimise disruption to regular path users.

It is expected the works will commence on Monday 17th October (Today) and take about 1 week to complete. This estimate is dependent on good weather.

If you have any queries about these works please call 9240 1111 or email:

info@moreland.vic.gov.au
Attn: Lori Arthur Natural Resource Management Officer
Moreland City Council

Ride to Work Day is on Wednesday the 12th of October 2011.

To acknowledge the day, Moreland City Council is hosting a Ride to Work Day community breakfast in Victoria Mall, Coburg (Melways 29, H1) between 7:30 and 9:00 am on the day.

If your commute to work doesn’t get you past Victoria Mall, check out the BV website to find a Ride to Work Day breakfast near you.

And don’t forget to register at https://ride2work.com.au/rtw/. One lucky registrant can win a signed and framed Cadel Evans BMC jersey as a reward!

If you are thinking about riding to work into the city on that day but are not sure how to do it you can meet up with BUG member Ross Millward who is happy to accompany you. Just send an email to committee@lists.morelandbug.org to take up his offer.

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Have you ever had a bike nicked?

Would you like to get your bike engraved to make sure it doesn’t happen to you?

Do you know there are some simple changes you can make that will to dramatically reduce your chances of being a victim of bike theft?

Come along to the Find My Bike Fun Day!

Brunswick Velodrome
Sunday 22 May 2010
11 am – 3pm

As part of the day’s activities, police from the Brunswick and Fawkner Stations will attempt match people who’ve recently lost their bike to theft with the stolen bikes they’ve successfully recovered.

If you’ve lost a bike bring some ID and details of the bike and you may be reunited with your beloved steed.

The Brunswick Cycling Club will be putting on a sausage sizzle and providing tips on riding in a velodrome.

Police will also be engraving bikes on the day. Get your bike engraved and deter that would-be thief.

There will be lots of fun on the day – including fun for the kids with a special appearance from Constable T Bear.

This event is presented by the Victoria Police working in association with the Brunswick Cycling Club and Moreland Council .
Brunswick Velodrome is on the Merri Creek Trail, just north of CERES – road access is via Harrison Street – Melway 30 B5.

If you would like more information about the event, please contact Simon Stainsby, Sustainable Transport Officer Moreland Council sstainsby@moreland.vic.gov.au or phone: 9240 1168.

This weekend marks the end of daylight savings.
It will be getting darker earlier, which means your ride home from work will soon be in twilight or at night.
When the clocks go back, its time to put the bike lights on.

This weekend is an ideal time to do a quick check to see if you are ready to ride at night.

• Do you have front and back lights?
• Do they work?
• Are they still bright after they’ve been on for a few minutes? – An LED light with flat batteries will start out bright but quickly fade.
• Do you have reflectors?

To meet road rules for riding at night your bike will need to have bright front and rear light visible from 200m and a rear reflector.
If your bike lights aren’t up to scratch and new batteries don’t do the trick … its time to pop into your local bike shop and get some new lights.

To make it easy, Moreland City Council, in partnership with Avanti Superstore (Brunswick), Lygon Cycles, Rays Bicycles (Brunswick), Commuter Cycles, and Velo Cycles is offering you a huge 20% off selected bike lights during the month of April in the ‘Clocks Back, Lights On” bike lights promotion.

Simply print out the attached voucher and take it to a participating bike shop to claim your discount.

It’s also a good idea to wear bright clothing when you ride to make it easier for other road users to see you.
I keep a hi-viz vest in my pannier and pop it on over my day clothes when I ride home, but there are many more stylish options. When you’re at the bike shop have a look at the range of fashionable reflective wristbands or trouser cuffs.

See you out on the road

Simon Stainsby
Sustainable Transport Officer
Moreland Council
9240 1168

Don’t forget that the Draft Moreland Bicycle Strategy is available and comments and feedback are due to the Moreland Council on Wednesday
1 December.

The BUG will be submitting a response, so if you have any comments could you either post them to the list (MorelandBUG@googlegroups.com),
send them to the committee (committee@lists.morelandbug.org) or come to the next meeting where we will be discussing the Strategy.

The next meeting, which will be the last BUG meeting for this year, will be on Thursday 25 November at the Edinburgh Castle Hotel (681 Sydney Road, Brunswick – in the back meeting room).

The meeting starts at 7.30 pm and will finish around 9.00 pm. Food and drinks can be purchased there and members and guests are welcome!

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