Parents and cyclists call for middle bridge to create safer links between inner north suburbs

PARENTS and cyclists call for a new footbridge over the Merri Creek for cyclists and schoolchildren to safely travel between Northcote and Brunswick.

Almost 100 children at Brunswick East Primary come from Northcote. Parents are calling for a pedestrian and cyclist bridge from the end of Beavers Rd so children don't have to brave the dangerous Arthurton Rd crossing, a narrow bridge with heavy traffic. Xavier is one of many unhappy children and parents at the Arthurton Road bridge.

A FOOTBRIDGE over the Merri Creek is the only way scores of children who live in Northcote but are zoned for school Brunswick can safely ride or walk, according to parents.

Spokeswoman for the Merri Creek Footbridge Group Juliet Hall told the Leader last week the existing Arthurton Rd bridge with narrow footpaths and no barriers between pedestrians and traffic was too busy and dangerous for hers and other children to walk or ride safely to school.

The Northcote resident said a footbridge from Beavers Rd, Northcote, across the Merri Creek to Ceres Environment Park in Brunswick would give more than 80 children from Northcote zoned to attend Brunswick East Primary School a safe active transport option.

She urged residents to contact the council to show support for the new bridge, which would also benefit cyclists accessing the trail network, children with special needs from the Croxton School and local businesses in Goldsmith Crescent.

“We’re trying to show Darebin Council that there’s a groundswell of support for a safe Merri Creek crossing for walkers and cyclists at Beavers Rd,” she said.

“It’s not just about existing users crossing the Merri Creek — we know that if you provide safe infrastructure, more people will choose active transport.”

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Northcote cyclist Craig Vandervalk said a bridge at the end of Beavers Rd would unlock “a fantastic network of bicycle paths” on the other side of the creek now only accessible via the busy Normanby Rd further north or Arthurton Rd to the south.

Ceres chairwoman Jo Barraket said this was a perfect opportunity to improve cycling and pedestrian infrastructure in an area where the land at the bottom of Beavers Rd had been rezoned from industrial to residential and there would be an influx of new residents.

She said the Ceres board was enthusiastic about a footbridge, which would give residents better access to classes, the market and other activities at the environment park, which she said was accessed by as many people from Darebin as from Moreland.

Darebin assets and business services director Steve Hamilton said the footbridge would cost approximately $1 million.

He did not completely rule it out but said it was a low priority and any future consideration was subject to a cost-benefit analysis and Moreland Council, developers and other external parties all contributing.

“From a safety perspective it is not currently identified as a priority project for Darebin,” Mr Hamilton said.

“From an engineering perspective, the height difference across the creek also makes building a bridge in this location difficult.”

Mr Hamilton said the council might consider alternative crossing options such as widening the existing bridge at Arthurton Rd.