By NATALIE GALLENTI
MELTON cyclists are being left out in the cold according to the 2012 BiXE survey.
The results of the Bicycle Expenditure Index survey were released by Bicycle Network Victoria last week and revealed the City of Melton is spending below the national average on cyclists each year. One hundred councils across Australia were surveyed.
Figures show the City of Melton’s BiXE rating for 2012 is $4.47. This is below the Outer Zone council average for 2012, which is $5.65.
The data is based upon council spending of $505,000 and population of 112,981.
The municipality achieved a five-year BiXE average of $5.81, slightly above the Outer Zone council five-year average for 2012, which is $5.80.
Bicycle Network’s 2013-14 top priorities for the area include outer urban planning for new developments and the continuation of the Ride2School program.
The neighbouring municipality of Wyndham had a BiXE rating of $11.65, more than double the average, while Brimbank was only slightly higher with $5.83.
Bicycle Network Victoria’s chief executive Craig Richards said this is the seventh year of the project, which measures each council’s budget against a $5 per head threshold for spending on lanes, paths, signs and other facilities for bike riders.
Mr Richards said the leading cities around the world had seized upon bike friendliness as a key selling point to attract jobs and visitors while reducing congestion.
He said BiXE’s purpose is to make councils accountable for their bike investment performance, or lack of it.
“There are still too many municipalities with their heads in the sand,” Mr Richards said.
“Every year they delay action, the accumulated infrastructure deficit grows, and so ratepayers are left in the lurch.”
