Footpaths, pedestrian crossings and cycling

The pathways strategy is a 10 year (plus) rolling strategy developed with our communities across the municipality. It has guided a planned and integrated approach to footpaths since its completion in 2012.  The Strategy consists of two parts. Part A  - Process, Back Ground Policies and Recommendations  and Part B - Works Tables and Township Plans

The range of path and trail types in the Surf Coast Shire are defined within strategy as:

• Regional Pathways that serve as arterial links joining towns and providing a facility of significance to the broader community
• Shared Pathways that are the collector pathway systems within towns
• Town Pathways that serve the local community linking peoples homes to the shared pathways
• Bicycle routes that are the on road marked or signed bicycle network for both regional and local use.

Under the strategy The Surf Coast Shire contributes funding resources to the implementation of the Pathways Strategy. The Shire also commits to:

• Providing funding for the implementation of the Pathways Strategy taking into consideration available budgets throughout each year of the implementation plan and in accordance with the priority areas in the Works Program.
• Having a transparent and justifiable priority system ensures that the community needs are met in an equitable and sustainable manner.
• Seek funding for regional pathways from State and Federal Government Departments and Agencies where there is a clear benefit to a range of visitors to the Shire.
• Where possible seek contributions from the people who benefit most from the development of the pathways.
• Ensure developers provide pathways in new estates that meet the guidelines and standards contained within Section 3.4 of this policy.
• Seek fair contributions to the costs of new pathways from residents of local areas and neighbourhoods where the pathways are primarily of benefit to them.
• Advocating for the community to other land managers for the construction or upgrade of priority pathways on land owned or managed by others. The community can also be advocates to other levels of Government.

Pathways Strategy

• Pathways Strategy Part A - 2012(PDF, 515KB)
• Pathways Strategy Part B - 2012(PDF, 343KB)
• Pathways Strategy Appendix 3(PDF, 9MB)

There are many coastal and bushland walking tracks providing links between towns and around our communities. Most of the walking tracks are managed by the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA) with some sections of the Surf Coast Walk being managed by Surf Coast Shire. You can find more information on walking tracks on this link.

A new Surf Coast Safer Cycling Strategy and Action Plan 2022-2027 has been developed to work towards the goal of establishing and maintain a safe cycling network and reduce the reliance on cars through our region.

The Strategy has been prepared in consultation with the community, external stakeholders and Council’s partners. The Strategy aims to address the ongoing and emerging cycling safety issues for the shire over the next five years.

The development of this Strategy has included:

• a review of Council’s relevant strategies, plans and documents
• analysis of Department of Transport (DoT) records of reported crashes related to cycling
• review of the existing cycling network and infrastructure, and
• extensive consultation with key stakeholders and the community

The Strategy was developed with the participation of a steering committee including key internal and external partners. The Strategy incorporates the following key elements:

• Strategic goals and targets which have been developed based on the key issues identified for the region
• A targeted and focused Action Plan with clear responsibilities across the organisation and partners to allow for future planning and targeted external funding applications. 

Surf Coast Safer Cycling Strategy.pdf(PDF, 46MB)

Learning to ride a bike is one of those big miles stone for many children. It opens opportunities for exercise, mobility, growing independence and confidence. Bike riding is also good for our environment. Providing safe places to ride both off road and on road is a priority area for Surf Coast Shire.

It is equally important that cyclists young and older have the skills to safely ride. Information on learning to ride is available on the VicRoads website.

In order to ride safely in traffic a bike rider needs to be able to manage all the following simultaneously:

• Control the bike on different road surfaces.
• Be able to deal with obstacles safely.
• Be aware of and predict the traffic movement around them.
• Understand the road rules that apply both to bike riders and drivers.
• Make safe, split-second decisions.

Children do not have the ability and experience to do all of these things simultaneously and consistently until age 12 or 13. Like young drivers, they need plenty of supervised practice before gaining their independence.

Strategic focus Area 2: Vulnerable and unprotected road users

• There was a total of 11 crashes involving cyclists in Surf Coast Shire between 2016 -2020,
• There was a total of 18 crashes involving cyclists in Surf Coast shire roads between 2016-2020,
• Our analysis shows an increase in visitor casualty during peak (summer) months.

Linked Goals

Goal 5: improve pedestrian and cycling infrastructure safety.

Surf Coast is actively working towards implementing the Safer Cycling Strategy with a target of 100 % the actions by 2027. New pedestrian infrastructure is to be implemented in line with the safer system objectives with the aim of bring 100 % up to standard by 2027.