Better Streets Ballarat
Community Group
Nature & Biodiversity, Health & Wellbeing, Community Connection, Transport
What are you doing to create a more sustainable future?
Our purpose is to transform Ballarat’s streets and neighbourhoods into people-first public spaces.
Our mission is to actively advocate for people-first streets and neighbourhoods in Ballarat.
We believe it is essential to create a more sustainable, healthy, and equitable Ballarat through engagement with decision makers and thought leaders.
Our vision is that Ballarat will have sustainable, liveable streets and neighbourhoods that are well connected for people-focused transport, contributing to greater efficiency, economic vibrancy, safety, and physical and mental health. We want our streets to enable people of all ages and abilities to feel welcome, safe, and comfortable walking, cycling and resting. All types of recreation need to be supported.
Vibrant streets and neighbourhoods will play a crucial role in enhancing our quality of life. We expect them to facilitate social interaction and contribute to a community's overall aesthetic and function. Well-designed streets and neighbourhoods encourage people to walk and engage in outdoor activity, which leads to improved physical and mental health.
Streets that prioritise people over vehicles are more economically efficient. Reducing car dependency and unnecessary car traffic will produce benefits from reduced road damage. Economic vibrancy will also occur when people-first places are supported.
Streets that prioritise public transportation, walking, and cycling can reduce reliance on cars, thereby decreasing vehicle emissions and improving air quality, which has positive health implications.
What impact has your initiative had so far?
Better Streets Ballarat has engaged with several local leaders to discuss implementation of 30km/h schools zones across the city. Research tells us that slower, safer streets are key to parents allowing their children to actively make their way to school.
While no school zones have been changed yet, we are continuing to work with City of Ballarat officers and councillors, local MPs and stakeholders to implement these important changes.
We were also invited by the City of Ballarat City Design team to put together suggested projects to improve the CBD. While the predominant focus was on greening the CBD, many greening projects would also create a safer and more welcoming CBD for those outside of cars. We hope to continue working with the City Desing team in future.
Who has helped you to achieve this vision?
