Sunbury cyclist calls for dedicated bike paths to stretch to city

A NEW Sunbury resident is calling for separated bike paths to go beyond Melbourne Airport to the city.

Sunbury man Damo Christie wants a dedicated bike path to the city.

NEW Sunbury resident Damo Christie is staggered he can’t ride his bike past Melbourne Airport on separated bike paths.

The 35-year-old professional firefighter and former emergency department nurse has seen the results of cycling road trauma first-hand.

He is not willing to take the risk of riding along the Calder Freeway or Sunbury Rd, as some cyclists do, after a serious collision last year when a car crashed into him in Hawthorn.

So last month he started the Facebook page Build a bike track from Sunbury to the city to raise the profile of the issue. Already, close to 100 have joined up.

“In February 16 last year I ended up in The Alfred hospital where I had my spine immobilised,” he said.

“I got a fractured cheek bone and have been pretty apprehensive sharing the road since.”

Growing up in Bendigo as a teenager, Mr Christie rode with friends from there planning to get to Melbourne but couldn’t ride past Sunbury.

He’s amazed in the time since there is still no option.

“I drive or I’m on the train and I see guys riding and I’ve seen them almost get cleaned up,” he said.

Mr Christie’s initiative is the latest effort to try and raise the profile of cyclists and their challenges in the region.

The Sunbury Bicycle Users Group is also lobbying for VicRoads to fund bicycle infrastructure, including a separated area as Vineyard Rd crosses the Calder Freeway and investigating a route past the Organ Pipes National Park.

BikeSafe Macedon Ranges has also been pushing a sharing the road message across the region, as projects such as a Hanging Rock to Daylesford rail trail continues to be an aspirational project.