The Vision: Towards Zero
The City of Yarra Safe Travel Strategy 2016 will help Council strategically focus on managing the impact of all transport modes on the health, safety and wellbeing of Yarra’s residents and visitors. The Strategy is a 10-year plan for improving safe travel for all road users.
Our vision is to move ‘Towards Zero’, that is to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries to zero by 2026.
The Strategy outlines ways Council and key partners will work together to improve safe travel for road users, especially pedestrians and cyclists, as well as vulnerable community members including school children, older people and people with a disability.
In order to achieve our vision of zero deaths and serious injuries on our roads and paths by 2026, Council has been guided by some key principles in forming its Action Plan. No loss of life or serious injury is acceptable. The Vision Zero approach has proven highly successful. The system is based on the simple fact that we are human and make mistakes. The road system needs to keep us moving but it must also be designed to protect us at every turn.
The Strategy was developed in consultation with a Road Safety Working Group, comprising of community volunteers, road safety experts, members of Yarra’s Bicycle Advisory Committee and Disability Advisory Committee, Victorian Motorcycle Council and representatives from Council, VicRoads and Victoria Police.
You can download the Strategy here:
Safe Travel Strategy 2016-2026
Key Areas in the Strategy
The strategy includes a range of actions for making travel safer in Yarra.
Some of these would be implemented by Council, while some would be implemented by other agencies such as VicRoads, Traffic Accident Commission (TAC), Victoria Police and Transport for Victoria.
Key areas that the strategy covers include:
- Reducing vehicle speeds
- Encouraging and supporting safer walking for all ages and abilities
- Improving safe travel for young children and their families
- Improving safe travel for school aged children
- Improving safe travel for older people and people with disabilities
- Safer cycling
- Safer access to public transport
- Safer driving and motorcycle riding
Actions outlined in the draft strategy will be rolled out over a 10-year period. Many will be subject to funding in future Council budgets or other funding sources. Many of the projects identified in the draft strategy would also be subject to further, specific community consultation before being implemented.