A Shorten Labor Government will commit $7 million to a new cycling path along the duplicated rail line from Greensborough to Montmorency in Melbourne’s North East as part of Victoria’s $530 million Hurstbridge Line Upgrade – Stage 2 project.
This investment is part of Labor’s recently announced $260 million National Bike Paths Strategy to upgrade the nation’s cycling paths to encourage more people to ride bicycles to work or school and capitalise on the rapidly expanding cycling tourism market.
The cycling path is part of the Andrews Labor Government’s Stage 2 of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade, which will provide commuters with more trains, more seats and fewer delays.
The project also includes a brand new train station at Greensborough, the duplication of three kilometres of track between Greensborough and Montmorency and 1.5 kilometres of track between Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen to allow more train services during the morning peak.
Federal Labor’s National Bike Paths Strategy is based on the fact that effective transport systems require not just rail and roads, but also bike paths and walking paths.
Our aim is to encourage Australians to enjoy the health benefits of exercise and also reduce traffic congestion by making it easier to access public transport hubs on foot or on bicycles.
A Shorten Labor Government would also invest in bike paths to capitalise on the growing demand for trail tourism.
Labor’s investment in active transport builds on the legacy of the former Labor Government, which oversaw record investment in bike paths across the nation.
This election is a choice between Labor’s plans to invest in the infrastructure Victorian communities need, or more cuts and chaos under the Liberals.