News Alert |

With strong population growth, rapid change and community appetite for an accessible future in Ballarat, now is the time to talk about how we address the transport issues facing our growing city.

Ballarat’s population is on track to reach 160,000 by 2040, with the possibility of 200,000 or more. We need to future-proof the city’s transport network and plan for the long term.

That’s why we’re developing the Ballarat Integrated Transport Plan (BITP).

It’s a plan not just for a Ballarat of today, but towards 2040 and beyond.

What is an integrated transport plan?

It is a long-term vision for Ballarat’s transport system, ensuring all networks are efficient, sustainable and well-planned.

An efficient, sustainable and well-planned network where all modes of transport are connected ensures people are linked to one another and more goods can be delivered to markets.

The Ballarat Integrated Transport Plan outlines actions the City of Ballarat can take to improve the transport systems it owns or manages, including footpaths, bicycle infrastructure and local roads. It also recommends advocacy actions we can take to request improvements to parts of the transport system the state government owns or manages, including major roads, freeways and highways, bus services and train lines.

The plan is underpinned by the 10-Minute City principle of the Ballarat Strategy 2040 – council’s long-term plan for the city to 2040.

But the Ballarat Integrated Transport Plan isn’t just about transport. It also incorporates integrated land use planning and development, understanding they are both important parts of an efficient and liveable city by ensuring more people can live closer to quality transport options.  

Now that we know there is a problem that needs fixing, what do we do first? Phase one: Let’s talk about transport

Last week, the City of Ballarat released the Train Network Discussion Paper and Ballarat Transport Overview for community consultation.

These documents are the first of a series of five discussion papers for different modes of transport to be released over the coming months.

Each discussion paper explores the opportunities and challenges of each mode of transport across Ballarat’s current network, including:

1. Train network

2. Walking and pedestrian network

3. Public transport network (buses and trams)

4. Roads, streetscapes and emerging vehicle technology

5. Aviation  

We’re now asking the community to help us set a direction for the Ballarat Integrated Transport Plan by helping to identify transport priorities.

To read the discussion papers and to have your say visit: mysay.ballarat.vic.gov.au

Phase two: Release the Ballarat Integrated Transport Action Plan

Following feedback from the community on each of the discussion papers, the City of Ballarat will release the Ballarat Integrated Transport Action Plan.

This plan will outline actions and a detailed plan of what is needed to deliver those priorities the community highlighted during the consultation phase of the project.

The draft Ballarat Integrated Transport Action Plan is scheduled to be released later this year, with the final Ballarat Integrated Transport Action Plan scheduled for release in early 2020.