1. Integrated Active Living Policy at Yarra – fact or fiction
Smart Urban Futures
Integrated Active Living Policy at Yarra –
fact or fiction
Bruce Phillips
Director
Planning and Place Making

2. Introduction
Improved community wellbeing is an outcome of implementation of good active living policies
City of Yarra pursues policies that drive active living
This presentation provides an overview of how Yarra goes about improving active living for the community

3. Context Some relevant key challenges for Melbourne (amongst others) :
Growth (housing the new population / household formulations)
Sustainability
Access and Movement for the community
Liveability (the feel of the place)
Vitality (the mood of the place)
How Melbourne meets these challenges is a key aspect of this conference – ‘smart urban futures’

4. Some Key fundamentals for the City of Yarra
Sustainability
Social Justice and equity
Integrated planning and transport
Community safety
How are all these challenges and drivers reconciled?

5. How Yarra goes about improving active living Programs, People and Processes

6. Programs
Yarra has a One Yarra philosophy – being that the organisation works as one (across the broad) to deliver programs and outcomes
A number of programs relevant to active living policy and planning are structured in one Division called Planning and Place Making
‘Place Making’ in the title is useful as it provides a focus and constant reminder of what we are seeking to do (improve places for people)

7. Planning and Place Making Division
Units in the Division include:
Urban Design
Sustainability and Strategic Transport
Strategic transport policy / advocacy
Cycling and pedestrian policy
Waste policy
Urban agriculture policy
Economic Development
Social Planning
Strategic Planning
Statutory Planning
Open Space and Recreation

8. People The way we work – integration through:
Collaborative style encouraged
Conversation encouraged (dialogue)
An enquiring approach (ask questions)
Working together in the Division and across the organisation
Key disciplines in one location with open plan
It is all about relationships – both internal and external

9. Processes Collaborative style with other key agencies
Active Living focus – walking, cycling, comfort levels for people, safety
LG doesn’t run public transport – but can:-
Advocate strongly (examples)
Council capital works can make a difference at interchange points
Effective relationships with senior staff in key agencies is critical (Yarra works hard at this; CEO led)

10. Access and Movement Policies on Active Living outcomes - Integration
Important Active living outcomes requires effective integration across key Govt agencies:
VicRoads
Yarra Trams
PTV
VicTrack
(also other key non-Govt bodies)
LG needs to bring the players together – so that the ‘place’ is considered (rather than separate actions)

11. Real challenges in strategic transport topics to assist active living outcomes Some illustrative examples
Road space allocation – how does it all fit / what is the priority / what gives
Disability tram stops (issues arising)
Converting road space into open space (examples)
Shared bike lanes in open space (opposing opinions)
Separated bike lanes on roads
Helpful hint:
Look at the whole topic; not aspects in isolation
N.B. Need to use a prism way of thinking to seek solutions – integrated thinking across the disciplines and agencies

12. Strategic transport projects impact on active living – the outcomes add to liveability
Plenty of challenges and contested topics in Local Government – a constant focus is required on the ‘place’ and means to collaborate/ integrate
Active living is encouraged consistently in a coordinated way across Council via a number of divisions and across teams within these divisions

13. A summary of activity and coordination is provided on the following slides
Relevant Active Living Policy Documents
Integrated Transport Act, Planning Scheme, Strategic Transport Statement; Cycling Strategy, Walking Strategy, Master plans, and local area plans etc.
Need to shape day to day decision making - promote walking and cycling as key modes of transport in Yarra
Streetscape Plans in development - a major emphasis on active transport
Inner Melbourne Action Plan (IMAP) – 5 inner Councils acting in a regional approach
Some actions relate to active living policy

14. Policy/ plan extensive internal and external consultation needed.
Preparation - input from a number of sources:
Council's Urban Design Team
Council's Engineering Operations
Council's Sustainable Asset Management Team
Council's Strategic Transport Team
Council's Open Space Team
The Bicycle Advisory Committee
Disability Advisory Committee
Business Advisory Group

15. Walking Plan and Cycling Plans
– Council strategies to delivering active travel related infrastructure over the coming years.
Capital works prepared with inputs from Strategic Planning, Strategic Transport, Urban Design, Open Space, Engineering Services and Renewals team
Various improvements to off-road (shared paths) and on road facilities
Public Transport
– Council encourages the use of public transport across multiple documents, and advocates extensively for new and improved public transport services – it is well established that people who use public transport are more active than car drivers.
Examples include upgrades to existing infrastructure such as
New tram route (to Victoria Gardens, Richmond)
DDA tram stops (various streets)
Bus lanes on Hoddle Street, and Victoria Parade
Advocacy for train, tram improvements

16. Encouraging Car Share Promoting Bike Share
Yarra has over 120 car share spaces (no fee for space)
Promoting Bike Share
Two new blue bike share pods have recently been introduced and more are proposed.
Bike share provides an avenue for active living.

17. Super Tuesday Bicycle Count Growth

18. Yarra residents cycle to work

19. Pocket parks and parklets – adding to vitality of the place
New pocket parks (particularly in built up areas which lack open space), which encourage active living.
Being delivered following collaboration across a number of planning/ design teams.
Existing Open Space managed by Council to allow as many people as possible to access parks etc. for active living purposes, e.g.Citizen Park is used intensively by sports clubs, dog walkers, people doing exercise, people relaxing

20. Local Area Traffic Management (LATM’s)
These programs are rolled out across Yarra which deliver infrastructure that encourages active lifestyles.
Slower vehicles, safer areas
Cycling, walking focus as well
Behaviour change initiatives
These play a key role in getting people to adopt more active lifestyles.
These programs include:
Walk and Wheel to School
Ride to Work day,
Car free day, and
Ride to School Day.

21. Case Studies – Integrated Projects
New Koonda Lat Bridge, Pedestrian Cycling Bridge
Merri Creek Trail Review (MCTR) involved Yarra, Darebin, Moreland, Parks Victoria and Melbourne Water.
Opportunity to transform Melbourne Water pipe Bridge into shared pathway
Melbourne Water had major improvement works scheduled, so Yarra and Darebin submitted joint application to DoT for project funding
New shared path provides off-road link and extends regional trail

22. Liveable Yarra Process
Deliberative Planning process on Planning Scheme Review
60 persons (selected as representative sample of Yarra community)
4 Saturday mornings assisting Council with community views on priorities
NB. 86% supported an action of articulating targets for ‘street sharing’ (sharing between transport options); develop a municipal wide plan for transport and access

23. Victoria Street, Richmond
Gateway project outcome
Agency requirements for Gateway
New DDA tram stops last month
Jonas Street ‘pop up’ park trial underway,
footpath improvement works abutting tram stops
Streetscape masterplan approved (Sep 15)

24. Road space converted into pocket parks to add to local vitality
Peel Street, Collingwood
Church Street, Richmond
Docker Street, Richmond
Oxford Street, Collingwood
(see before and after photos)

30. Alphington Paper Mill Site - redevelopment
Active living being encouraged in road layout design:
Plan for people and bike friendly streets (road profile)
Provide open space on the site itself
Provide good safe pedestrian connections to nearby park land
Provide attractive connections to nearby external active transport corridors, including the Yarra River trail.

31. Concluding notes
Active living is delivered in an integrated way by a number of teams at Yarra Council
Recent accommodation has increased coordination by placing Urban Design, Strategic Planning, Transport Planning, Traffic Engineering, Open Space, and Asset Management in one open plan place
Work on relationships
Build strong relationships with senior officers in key agencies
Engage across the key agencies
Integrated transport and planning important
Many related aspects of LG add to livability

32. How to reconcile through competing objectives a key aspect
Use the prism approach (look at all angles, not just one aspect)
Engagement and collaboration internal and external is critical
There are opportunities to do better – but Yarra working at integrated outcomes
The Planning Scheme Renewal provides an opportunity for links between active living and planning to be strengthened
Money to deliver projects for active living is a challenge

33. Active Living policy and delivery is alive and well in Yarra
Bruce Phillips
Director
Planning and Place Making
March 2016