Tuesday, 18 February 2025

 Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (17:53): (1410) My adjournment matter today is for the Minister for Transport Infrastructure, and it concerns the new cycling lanes on Queens Avenue in Caulfield, which opened in December. The action I seek is some advice and information about how the completion of this cycling path connects to the rest of the network and the impact it will have for cyclists. Over the last two years the dangerous level crossings in Glen Huntly at Glen Huntly Road and Neerim Road have been removed. One of Melbourne’s last tram squares – on Glen Huntly Road, where trains and trams intersected – is now gone, speeding up both the frequency and the speed of train services going through that part of the network. As part of the level crossing removal works a new cycling lane was promised, running along Queens Avenue to connect the existing cycling infrastructure that has been built along the Frankston line from McKinnon station right through to Caulfield. We know that when the Metro Tunnel opens Caulfield station is going to become a really important transport hub, with both city loop trains on the Frankston line and Metro Tunnel trains on the Cranbourne and Pakenham line. This cycling infrastructure will allow residents, particularly those living in that Glen Huntly and Ormond area, to safely cycle to Caulfield station, get on a Metro Tunnel train and then be at, for example, Melbourne Uni in about 15 minutes, really changing the way residents in the local area experience local public transport.

The original plan for this cycling path, unfortunately, would have seen the destruction and removal of around 200 trees, but thanks to local residents reaching out and asking for this to be reconsidered, the cooperation of the City of Glen Eira and the then minister, Minister Pearson, listening to those concerns and taking another look at the project, we have managed in partnership with the City of Glen Eira to deliver a cycling path that retains the trees and retains local parking. It is a win–win – a win for local residents, a win for the local cycling community, a win for environmental groups and a massive win for the local community, who have this new piece of active transport infrastructure that is going to be incredibly important when the Metro Tunnel opens later this year.