Moreland Council don't use Covid19 to delay MITS parking restrictions

We petition Moreland Councillors at March 25, 2020 Special Council meeting not to use the Corona Virus crisis to delay indefinitely the rollout of parking restrictions in Moreland activity centres that are part of the Moreland Integrated Transport Strategy (MITS) implementation.

The need to apply social distancing due to #COVID19 has anecdotally seen a major cycling increase in Coburg and Brunswick as public transport use has declined. (Note 1)  Parking restrictions are needed to continue to promote increase in cycling in the municipality even in this time of crisis.

Council should actually use the Corona Virus Crisis to ramp up cycling infrastructure and safety for pedestrians as part of MITS implementation.(Note 2)

Delaying rollout of Moreland Integrated Transport Strategy (#MITS) implementation could affect such projects as implementation of area trials of 30km speed limits in Brunswick which are important for both pedestrian and cycling safety.

In confronting the public health emergency of Covid-19 we also need to keep the perspective that we have a climate emergency that requires us to rapidly change to low emissions transport modes.

We call on Councillors to continue their commitment to MITS implementation and commitment to transport mode share change, an essential part of addressing community transport emissions in Moreland and reducing all community emissions to net zero by 2040 as per Moreland Council target.

Notes:

1. 16 March Bike Exchange (Melbourne) - Social Distancing on Two Wheels

2. 18 March: Bogota in Columbia rapidly increasing cycle paths and routes as part of social distancing

John Englart    Contact the author of the petition