Mr J. BULL (Sunbury) — (11 978) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and the action I seek is for the minister to meet with me and a delegation from Bike Safe Macedon Ranges and VicRoads to discuss a missing section of bike path along the Calder Freeway. A number of residents in my electorate are members of the Bike Safe Macedon Ranges cycling group, as are many residents in the member for Macedon’s electorate. I have met with this group, which has expressed great concern regarding this missing section of bike path connecting Kings Road and Organ Pipes Road in the reserve on the north side of the Calder Freeway.

The group has prepared a proposal to fix the problem, with reasoning around the removal of the need for cyclists to ride in the slip lane and merging lane at Calder Park Drive and also provide separation for cyclists heading towards Melbourne, protecting them from a multitude of hazards, of which there are many examples. It is quite dangerous for cyclists to actually have to ride on the Calder Freeway rather than use the safer bike path. This will also eliminate the need for northbound cyclists to cross four lanes of freeway traffic and then turn right and do a U-turn at the intersection with Organ Pipes Road. The group states that all of these improvements will not only look after the safety of local cyclists but help encourage people to engage in active transport rather than driving, helping of course to reduce congestion.

The Andrews government is committed to providing access to a range of transport modes, and cycling is a wonderful form of physical activity and a great way to get around. I just heard the member for Bundoora murmur, ‘Hear, hear!’ and I want to congratulate him and Labor in Lycra for the $5600 they raised on 9 October in the ride Around the Bay. I am sure that the member for Bundoora would like to see this bike path completed so that he too can come out and have a ride along the Calder Freeway. Once again, I ask the minister to convene a meeting with a delegation from Bike Safe Macedon Ranges and VicRoads to discuss this missing section of bike path.