Wodonga Council discards draft transport plan backed by Albury

The same blueprint was unanimously approved by Albury Council on September 11 and it was to be put out for public feedback pending endorsement by Wodonga Council.

However, Wodonga councillors on September 18 voted 3-2 against circulating what is known as MOVE: The Albury Wodonga Integrated Transport Strategy.

Mayor Ron Mildren savaged the plan, saying it was designed for "very narrow outcomes" that "don't serve our city well into the future".

"This strategy has a clear vision of removing cars from the city and building pedestrian and cycle priorities," Cr Mildren said.

"When we've got a hinterland like we have and an economic situation like we have, we need to balance this, not give priority to the cyclists and pedestrians."

Cr Mildren said the plan appeared to be an "activism-created document" based on "wrong assumptions" and more centred on Albury.

Councillor Danny Lowe, who supported having public feedback, suggested councillors could provide their own submissions on the draft plan, but Cr Mildren said such an approach was wrong.

"If you're going to change it after the event of consultation, I think that's misleading," Cr Mildren said.

Councillor Libby Hall said "people's lifestyles require cars to get around".

She noted bike paths had been put through parklands in Wodonga to ensure cyclists safely reached the CBD but now there "seems to be a move to get bicycles on to roads and in their own bicycle lanes".

"It in turn takes road space up from car traffic," Cr Hall said.

"I don't support this, I've seen the issues of congestion that this has created in many areas of Melbourne and I wouldn't like to see those issues here."

Cr Hall said the Pearce Street bike lane in Wodonga was an example of how cycleways could be "problematic".

Councillor Danny Chamberlain noted much work had been put into the report and it put a "very high priority on alternative forms of transport other than cars" before adding automobiles were remain central for the "foreseeable future".

Speaking after the meeting to The Border Mail, Cr Mildren said the plan had "been put back to the staff to go away and have a think about".

He said it was very unlikely a revised draft plan would be presented to the council before the end of the year.

Asked if Wodonga had effectively decoupled from Albury Council on the matter, Cr Mildren replied: "I don't know if that's what it means or not but it certainly raises the differences."

Albury mayor Kylie King said that her council was digesting the decision and what it may mean for its consultation, but stated she respected the perspective of Wodonga.

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