Kingston's Bay Trail
Consultation concluded at 6pm on Monday 5 September 2016.
Council has committed to completing the remaining section of the Bay Trail between Mentone Life Saving Club and the northern end of the foreshore at Mordialloc.
In February this year, Council endorsed a plan to build a trail that:
- provides the back of kerb option next to the road
- minimises vegetation loss
- provides 861 car parking spaces - which is an overall loss of 43 car parking spaces
- sees most sections of Beach Road narrowed by 30cm (to an average of 13.4m), with some small areas narrower to safely accommodate bus stops, indented car parks and car park entrances.
There’s recently been a lot of community interest and concern regarding Council’s recent decision to complete this missing link.
We're now seeking your feedback on this decision.
Information sessions
Council is holding two information drop-in sessions on the Bay Trail to provide you with the opportunity to ask any questions relating to these plans.
- Tuesday 9 May 2017
Drop in anytime between 4–7pm
Mentone Council Office, 34 Brindisi Street, Mentone. - Thursday 18 May 2017
Drop in anytime between 4–7pm
Mentone Council Office, 34 Brindisi Street, Mentone
Background
The 700m-long Bay Trail between Charman Road and Mentone Life Saving Club was completed by Council in 2015 following a period of consultation, planning, design and construction. This section of the trail has been welcomed by the community, with high use by recreational cyclists and pedestrians. With the completion of this section of works, Council is now turning its attention to completing the Bay Trail from the Mentone Life Saving Club to Mordialloc.
In 2016, Council sought feedback from the community with two design options for this next section of the Bay Trail. The options presented to a range of community stakeholders for public consultation and comment were a back of kerb option, and an alternative alignment with a mix of back of kerb and existing path network.
The results of last year’s consultation demonstrated overwhelming support for a ‘back of kerb’ option next to the road. Other themes raised by the community included keeping the path visible from the street, retaining gravel walking path to provide separation between pedestrians and cyclists and offset of any vegetation loss.
Who's listening
-
City of Kingston
Phone 1300 653 356 Email yoursay@kingston.vic.gov.au
Give us the BayTrail we had already supported at the true community consultation....the one with no road narrowing!
I fully support the proposal to narrow the road as put forward at the information session last night. I’m getting sick of seeing all of these posts attacking the Councillors who put this idea forward when I was sent letters from the other Councillors that did not accurately represent the facts. In fact, I feel lied to. I previously supported the other proposal and received letters in my letterbox about the new proposal which I disagreed with. I then went to the info session with my husband and got the facts about the proposal and now fully support it.
I am totally against the narrowing of Beach road in the new design for the Kingston Bay trail. This new trail design has been adopted without any community consultation when a previous design which continued the 1st already completed stage from Charman road to Mentone Life Saving Club had been passed by council and was overwhelmingly endorsed by 82% of the community .
To hear that a group of five councillors have ignored the voice of the people who they represent I find unacceptable.
I thought the role of councillors was to represent the interests and views of their constituents in the decision making process. Apparently not!
More importantly I feel that vegetation removal is being prioritised over safety. Narrowing Beach road will have an enormous impact on the safety of many people who use this major thoroughfare. Pedestrians, motorists cyclists, beachgoers and the many people who use the foreshore amenities will be affected. Negotiating Beach road in morning and evening peak hour periods as well as at the beginning and ending of school times and in summer particularly can be quite dangerous, necessitating extreme care by all. Narrowing Beach road will only add to these difficulties and will extend the slow line of traffic at these times. In their 2007 report Vic Roads expressed their concerns regarding road safety and now 10 years down the track with a greater number of vehicles on the road, traffic conditions have exacerbated.
We cannot compromise the safety of Beach roads users for the saving of what amounts to 0.15 hectare of vegetation, the difference between the community endorsed design of the Kingston Bay Trail and the new one proposed by the five councillors. I only hope that common sense will prevail and that safety of all Beach road users will be the priority in the implementation of the Kingston Bay Trail.
Council's recent decision to narrow Beach road further to include a bay trail concerns me. My residence overlooks Charman road car park on Beach road. This area of Beach road was significantly narrowed to slow traffic down and also retain a substantial amount of vegetation during the bay trail construction several years ago, therefore I have first hand experience on how road narrowing impacts traffic flow during peak hours. Traffic is often backed up daily between the hours of 7:00 am-9:00 am and again at 2:30 pm - 6:30 pm daily and as residents we struggle to get in and out of our driveways or crossing the road during these hours.
I have taken numerous photos that support my concerns regarding traffic chaos due to road narrowing and am happy to share these with council.
I am therefore not endorsing council's intention to further narrow the road to create a bay trail but would rather prefer that vegetation be removed and the bay trail be constructed along the existing road.
Also with council's 'dog beach' introduction we are now experiencing an overwhelming amount of people visiting Mentone beach, it is therefore imperative that we try to retain the beach parking spaces we currently have, this will assist in deterring visitors from parking in narrow side streets, which is an ongoing problem.
In conclusion I unequivocally support the construction of the bay trail along the existing road and support that vegetation be removed for this construction, without the need for further road narrowing.
1 thing to say -
Shame on your councillor x who said to my family and friends that council was narrowing to 1 lane of each way.
We saw threw your lies tonight.
You know who you are.
Stop lying to advance your anti agenda.
I am totally against the narrowing of Beach road in a new design of the Kingston Bay Trail. In this design the clearance of vegetation seems to be the priority rather than the safety of the many users of Beach road.
The City of Kingston ratepayers were consulted and overwhelmingly (82%) supported a Bay Trail which used the same design as the existing section between Charman road and the Mentone Life Saving Club without any mention of narrowing Beach road.
To then hear that a new lot of five councillors have ignored the wishes of the community and have adopted a design for a Bay trail that involves the narrowing of Beach road I find totally unacceptable.
I thought that the role of councillors was to represent the interests and concerns of their constituents in the decision making process, apparently not!
Surely the safety of the many users of Beach road should be the major priority when implementing a Bay trail . The safety of the pedestrians, the cyclists and the motorists together with beachgoers and the many community groups who access Beach road to use the foreshore amenities should be paramount. Prioritising vegetation removal (low quality scrub at that) all for a difference of 0.15 hectares (the difference between the old design and the new one) at the expense the impact of narrowing Beach road will have on the lives and the safety of its many users is irresponsible to say the least. I only hope that the safety concerns Vic roads documented in their 2007 report regarding the narrowing of Beach road some 10 years will be heeded and that the new trail planned by the five councillors fails to get the necessary approval.
The very fact that this 'consultation' has only been conducted after being requested by Vic Roads shows the lack of concern for Community opinion by Cr West and her 4 subordinate Councillors. It highlights the real problem, which is the current make up of Kingston Council.
Honorable Mayor and Councilor,
I am submitting for myself, wife, 4 children and parents.
We also reside in Bayside and Kingston.
We own 2 properties on Beach Rd so have a legitimate right to input.
1. I have been waiting for 8 years for this. BUILD IT.
2. People should not expect parking to be provided over nature.
3. This proposal is supported by cyclist association.
4. I have been lied to by people showing pictures of parking that says "what it will be".... well sorry you are a lier. Those photos are from NOW and shows a diry verge with cars everywhere! Move them away from there and have a clearway.
5. Democracy - it has been voted on now do your job and buils it.
6. I think any plants destroyes should be replaced 3 to 1 and make the area a dense green animal habitat.
Thank You,
DR Raj and Family
As a Mordialloc resident I would like to express my concerns about the lack of regard for the vegetation. It is simple - we destroy vegetation and it can never be replaced. The war on trees is appalling and people must not simply kill them off bit by bit. Parking is wasteful and we should save the environment and encourage people to ride and walk. Sad sad times when people just say destroy the planet so they can park their gas guzzlers.
As a local resident on Beach Road Mentone, we have already suffered from reduced parking due to the clearway being added for bike riders on the weekend. We understand the need for safety for riders, but sacrificing even more parking to narrow the road doesn't seem to be a good idea. On beach days there is already a shortage of parking. Eliminating even more parking and narrowing the road to save some scrub that is vermin infested seems to be a poor decision.
The bay trail between Charman Rd and Mentone SLSC have been done tastefully and without too much impact on the trees or the parking. Why can't we just go with the initially proposed plans. They were a win:win
Love it. Build it. Create it. Yay!!
Good evening,
I have today attended the information session. I am pleased with the project & this has been delayed for 15 years or more.
Can we please progress this ASAP.
Also, I am horrified at the vile content from people against this. What has the sky rail got to do with anything?
Seriously, get a life! Build the path and keep beach rd beautiful.
My family and I STRONGLY SUPPORT the proposal to have standard road widths. I actually enjoy the Bayside stretch the most out of the two as I do not have to manage the car parking that is there. As my son cycles he much rather likes Bayside as there are not the recessed parking where you worry every minute of being doored. Do exactly the same as Bayside now before people die.
I think the proposal looks good and less parking the better. I do not want more parking as this simply causes congestion. Also, I must say it seems people hate councillors more than the proposal which is sad. Why are people so nasty and mean?? It is very sad.... work together please.
This issue needs more public consultation and not be pushed through by Labor and Cr West ignoring the residents.
Cr West should also listen to her constituents and abandon her support for sky rail.
The facts are simple
1. The bike trail is a good idea, but it will occasionally be used by mum and dad cyclists when the weather is nice. Thats fine, but the serious cyclists will continue to ride on the road EVERYDAY.
2. Narrowing Beach Rd will put the serious cyclist, cars, trucks, buses, pedestrians in closer proximity
3. This wil significantly increase the risk of serious injury and worse, to all involved.
4. For the sake of a few dime a dozen tea trees, this high risk could be mitigated.
We need to be logical here.
The answer is simple. I find it astonishing we even have to put this argument out there.
No narrowing.
Removed by moderator.
Concerned to overhear Rosemary West at your first consultation session, telling mothers who are concerned for the safety of their children at drop off around the Mentone school precincts, that there worries are new to her as she has never seen anyone park opposite St Bede's let alone drop off.
Evidently, Rosemary West does not use Beach Road, as I do, several times daily, and this gravel verge is in use all year round.
The safety of these school children should not have to be justified or even discussed. It should be widely provided.
I was even more concerned to hear an Officer report that bus stops may be moved to abut t-intersections onto Beach rd, therefore conflicting with the suggestion that VicRoads have advised no parking for turning safety. Once again safety not a consideration.
When will this council put peoples safety first? What point does it have to get to?
No consultation on the Narrowing of Beach Road, no consideration for the users or residents of Kingston and now 'making stuff up' on the spot just to quiet us. Enough!
Our family are STRONGLY OPPOSED to the Narrowing of Beach Road
Paul and Bernadette Tucker are absolutely opposed to the present plans for the Bay Trail!!!! The narrowing of Beach Rd is fraught with potential dangers... it is a busy road and to narrow it because of a few trees is irresponsible. Someone has forgotten that trees can be replaced and grow again PEOPLE DONT !! You are putting the users of Beach Road and the bicycle path in DANGER
Current revision of the previous plans displays, poor community consultation, disregard for due process, ignores previous community consultation and little understanding of unintended consequences.
I don't live on Beach Rd, but I regularly use it. This is an outcome influenced by ideology preferencing low quality scrub over community access and amenity.