Driving in Merri-bek

Reducing our reliance on cars

More and more people are moving away from owning cars. This means that we need to have a variety of reliable public and shared transport options that suit different people's needs. Making sure it is easy to get around Merri-bek means that we will reduce the number of cars on the road and make our community more sustainable. We want to create a community where driving a car is the last resort, instead of the default travel option.

Why should I reduce my car use?

Going car-free or 'car-lite' means that you either do not have a car at all, or that you only use your car sometimes. This is a great idea because:

  • owning a car is expensive, with the RACV estimating that Victorian's spend between $115 - $510 per week on their cars
  • it allows Council to take the money we would usually spend on providing space for cars and instead spend it on providing better places for people
  • it is better for the environment.

The Moreland Integrated Transport Strategy (PDF 25Mb) outlines how we will work with the community to make it easier to get around without a car.

Can I still use a car occasionally?

There may be times when travelling a car is the only sensible option. For example, you may be picking up or dropping off something heavy, or you may be going somewhere that doesn't have much public transport. If you are reducing your car use and only travelling in a car occasionally, then you are still reducing the number of cars on the road.

However, you should always ask yourself if there is an better way to travel than a car. For example, walking is great for short trips where you are not carrying much. For longer trips, bicycles and public transport are great options.

Car access is more sustainable than car ownership

Car sharing, ride hailing, taxis and car pooling can provide you with the chance to use a car for those occasional trips within having to own one. This means you don't have to spend money on maintaining a car, and you don't have to find space to park it at your house.

Electric Vehicles in Merri-bek

Where are Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations located in Merri-bek?

  • Moreland Civic Centre EV Hub at 90 Bell Street, Coburg, has 3 charging stations including Victoria's first electric vehicle 'Fast Charge' station, which can recharge up to 300 kms of driving range in an hour.
  • Boundary Road Cul-De-Sac at the corner of Boundary Road and Sydney Road North Coburg is where our second DC ‘Fast Charge’ station is located.
  • CB Smith Reserve, Jukes Road, Fawkner.
  • Brunswick Mechanics Institute at the David Street car park near the corner of Glenlyon and Sydney Roads, Brunswick.
  • Brunswick EV Hub at 13-15 Edward Street, Brunswick, which includes four charging bays and includes two new fast charge stations.
  • Oak Park Sports and Aquatic Centre, 563a Pascoe Vale Road, Pascoe Vale which has 3 charging stations.

In Merri-bek, there are 16 publicly available EV charging stations. These are powered by 100% zero emissions renewable energy from the Crowlands Wind Farm.

If you have an EV, you can use these charing stations for free.

You can find other charging stations through Chargefox and Plugshare.

Our Electric Vehicle fleet

Moreland Council has largest local government EV fleet in Victoria.

In 2021, we took part in the Victorian Government’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Trial.

We got our first electrical vehicle in 2013. After this, we commissioned a feasibility study and analysis so that we could understand if we could transition all our cars to EV.

In June 2018, we adopted a zero emissions corporate vehicle procurement policy. The following plans and objectives relate to this:

We used 23 EVs and 10 private charging stations to refuel them. This includes 5 publicly available DC fast charge stations. We are are a leader in encouraging and promoting the transition to Electric Vehicles and zero emissions transport.

Car share

A car share service lets you book a vehicle and drive it for an agreed upon length of time. You pay for the car by the hour, and petrol and insurance costs are covered in your booking. Each car share service is slightly different, but most allow you to book online or through an app.

Benefits of car sharing

Research has found that each car share vehicle replaces up to 10 privately owned cars. Members of car share schemes also reduce car use by around 50%. Car sharing therefore helps to reduce traffic congestion, parking demand, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Car share providers operating in Merri-bek

There are over 100 car share bays in Merri-bek. There are car share bays across Merri-bek from North Fitzroy all the way to Jacana Station in Glenroy.

Find out about other sustainable transport actions that you can take as a worker or resident in Merri-bek.

Access the Zero Carbon Merri-bek website.

Data

Moreland Council surveys selected local roads to see how cars and trucks use them.  Data.