Joining Upfield Bike Parth and Western Ring Road

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (14:48:24) — My question is for the Minister for Public Transport in the other house. Just like last week, I have got another constituent who has come up with some great ideas for the Upfield bike path that runs along the Upfield train line. The bike path effectively ends at the top of Sages Road near Gowrie station, about 800 metres short of the Western Ring Road bike path. There is already a VicTrack service road that runs parallel to the train line and connects these two major cycling routes. It is already being used as a de facto bike path by some, and this service road was recently upgraded as part of the Camp Road level crossing works. Moreland City Council is already maintaining the 12 kilometres of the Upfield bike path, so I am sure that an extra 800 metres or so of bike path would not pose much of an issue with respect to ongoing maintenance. So we ask: is there anything, save for painting some lines on the road, that is preventing the minister from declaring this service road part of the bicycle network and connecting these two major cycling trails?