BiXE
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Bicycle Victoria launched BiXE, its Bicycle Spending Index, in 2007. Now we have figures for the 2008-09 and 2009-10 financial years for comparison.
Help with the follow up work to BiXE 2009
19 November 2009. Bicycle Victoria is seeking volunteers to help us disseminate vital information to members and to local government.
This work will involve the manipulation of web content in order to maximise access to key information for members and local government people. Time is flexible and you would be based in our Collins Street office.
If interested, please contact us.
More councils get it - bike infrastructure spend rises again
10 November 2009. Victorian councils are reacting positively to the current explosion in bike use by further boosting spending on much needed infrastructure.
A new Victoria-wide survey shows that 62 percent of councils across the state are now meeting or exceeding the suggested bike spending threshold compared to 45 percent in 2008 and a mere 25 percent in 2007.
The latest figures come from the 2009 BiXE (Bicycle Expenditure Index) survey, undertaken by Bicycle Victoria. Fifty councils were surveyed.
The survey builds an index of council bike expenditure which measures each council’s budget against a $5 per head threshold for spending on lanes, paths, signs and other facilities for bike riders.
Councils are consulted during the analysis to improve accuracy and make year-to-year and council-to-council comparisons useful.
“This positive result shows that many local authorities in Victoria have woken up that there is a big shift towards bike use and that there is a pressing need for investment to cater for the increasing demand”, Mike Williamson, Bicycle Victoria’s Facilities Development Manager for local government, said today.
“However BiXE 2009 also highlights that a number of councils fall disappointingly short of the accepted threshold. For these councils there is much work to do before they meet their responsibilities to their communities.”
Some of the strongest performers in the BiXE 2009 included the cities of Bass Coast, East Gippsland, Greater Shepparton, Melbourne, Moira, Mornington Peninsula, Wangaratta, Warrnambool, Whittlesea, and Yarra. In these authorities, the BiXE ranged from just over $10 per capita up to as high as $21.33 per capita.
This year Bicycle Victoria also assessed, for comparative purposes, spending by interstate authorities. Brisbane City comes in at of $37.91 per capita and Sydney City is at $156.92.
See detail in the full BiXE 2009 report here
Help us with vital bike research for BiXE 2009
1 July 2009. Bicycle Victoria needs people to work with us on a voluntary basis to research and analyse local authority budgets for BiXE, our annual survey of local government spending on bike infrastructure for bike riders
If you have experience in the analysis of budgets and other financial information, can commit to 1 or 2 days per week during mid-July to mid-August and would like to contribute to getting More People Cycling More Often, get in touch by contacting Mike Williamson on (03) 8636 8848 or use this contact form
Councils get their act together—now spending more on bike infrastructure
9 January 2009. A new Victoria-wide survey shows that local government has boosted spending on infrastructure for bike riders during 2008.
Fifty per cent of councils are now meeting the $5 per head threshold for spending on lanes, paths, signs and other facilities for bike riders.
This compares to only 25 per cent of councils that met the threshold figure the year before.
The latest figures come from the 2008 BiXE (Bicycle Expenditure Index) survey, undertaken by Bicycle Victoria. Forty-six councils were surveyed.
The survey analyses council budgets for 2008-09 and identifies bike-related infrastructure expenditure. Councils are consulted during the analysis to improve accuracy and make year-to-year comparisons useful.
The Index was first compiled in 2007, when 22 council budgets were examined.
“This survey shows that many councils are delivering on their responsibilities to bike riders and investing in the required infrastructure,” Mike Williamson, Bicycle Victoria’s facilities manager for local government, said.
“The jump from last year is a great result, but there is much to be done as half of the state’s councils are still lagging badly and not meeting their obligations to their communities.
“Bike riding for transportation and recreation is growing rapidly and all councils should be making firm commitments to new investment, and to maintenance, so that they can cope with the demand from the community.”
Mr Williamson said that the highest performers in BiXE 2008 were the cities of Yarra, Manningham, Wyndham, Casey, Whittlesea and Warrnambool, as well as the shires of Campaspe and Bass Coast. In these authorities, the BiXE ranged from just over $10 per capita up to as high as $18.96 per capita.
Generally spending in ‘Outer’ councils exceeded expenditure in the ‘Inner’ and ‘Middle’ councils.
The $5 per capita threshold is a minimum standard adopted by Bicycle Victoria. For comparison the City of Brisbane committed $19 per capita in 2008 and Hobart $8.70.
Full report here.
BiXE now brings regional councils to account
18 December 2008. BiXE, Bicycle Victoria¹s index of bike infrastructure spending by local government authorities, will be even more powerful next year with the inclusion of regional councils for the first time.
BiXE, first launched in 2007, has moved from an analysis of 22 local authorities to a comprehensive report on 46 councils throughout Victoria. It also includes some comparisons with interstate expenditure.
When launched next January the new 2008 BiXE index is expected to show that a number of councils have exceeded the Bicycle Victoria benchmark of $5 per resident -- a remarkable result which shows that councils are paying attention to BiXE research.
Regrettably we expect there to be a significant number of authorities whose expenditure falls below our benchmark.
2008 BiXE is nearing completion, with a small number of councils still to confirm their expenditure figures with us.A full report and analysis will made available to members during January, when you can see just how your local council is progressing.
We will also be making sure that the relevant local authority employees and the media receive this information.
Council draft budgets available for public comment - what is your council BiXE 2008 rating going to be?
05 June 2008 Council Budgets are now out for public comment. This is a great opportunity for you to see what your local government is proposing to do for bikes in the 2008-09 financial year and have your say.
Last year we reviewed the metropolitan councils' bike budgets and compared the results.
The City of Hobsons Bay are proposing to increase their bike budget by $90,000 from the existing $300,000 to total $390,000 in 2008-2009. This will increase their BIXE rating (Bike expenditure per resident) from 3.53 to 4.59 and is a positive step for residents in the area.
The BiXE rating is calculated by dividing the Bike Budget figure by the number of residents in Hobsons Bay (85,000 people). We believe that councils should realistically strive to achieve a BIXE rating of at least 5. Many councils are already close to or exceeding this rating.
Your local Council will most likely have their draft Budget for 2008-09 out for public comment now and available for comment. You can find out how much they are proposing to allocate to bike projects for the next financial year and calculate the BiXE rating (find the number of residents in your council area here).
Please be aware that bike-related expenditure may not be clearly identified in your council budget as projects may be incorporated into other categories such as: Transport, recreation, open spaces, or be done as part of other works such as road resheetings, drainage etc. If in doubt please seek clarification from your council.
You can give your feedback (keep it positive or at least constructive) and let your council know how you rate their efforts. Please CC the Bicycle Victoria Campaigns team so we can gauge your feedback
BIXE launched
Sep 08 BIXE 2007 enables Councils in metropolitan
It will help Councillors set budgets and staff shape programs. Residents will also be able to see how well their Council is performing for them.
BIXE 2007 has gathered data from published 2007/2008 Council budgets. Councillors and officers have also been given the opportunity to confirm or revise these figures. The index measures direct reported spending. Bike riders will of course benefit from other spending such as resheeting of roads, park improvements and pedestrian crossings.
BIXE 2007 results are presented in the graph right. (Click on the image for detailed pdf). The index presents dollars spent per resident. This is the most appropriate measure because population varies widely between Councils.
BIXE 2007 groups Councils into Inner, Middle and Outer zones. This reflects the different urban environments across metropolitan
BIXE 2007 therefore compares ‘apples with apples’ and provides a realistic comparison of direct spending on bike facilities.
Bicycle
BIXE 2007 shows:
- Only one quarter of Councils across
- In general Middle Councils spend less than those in inner and outer areas.
- Those at or above the benchmark are:
- The City of
- The City of
- The City of
- Mornington Peninsula Shire who have spent over $10m in the last three years
- City of
- City of
- A few others are not far behind.
- The City of
- The big improver over the last 12 months is the City of
- Inner Councils - We were surprised at the low allocation in the inner area by the City of
- Middle Councils - We were surprised at the low allocation in the middle area by:
- City of
- City of
- City of
- City of
- City of
- City of
There are many people in these Middle Councils who are ready to take transport and recreational trips by bike. They are just waiting for the Council to put in the lanes and paths.
- Outer Councils - We were surprised at the low allocation in the outer area by:
- City of
- City of
- City of
- City of
- Shire of
- City of
- City of
- City of
These Councils should follow the lead of Councils like Wyndham and Casey who are benefiting from increased bike riding. $5 per person is not a lot to spend to keep the congestion, obesity and inactivity monsters away.
Actual bike budgets are outlined in the pdf (see above, right). As stated above, we believe the dollar per resident figure is a more useful tool.
Note: BIXE 2007 only covers Metropolitan
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