Our Projects
We work with a range of clients including local councils, statutory authorities, government agencies and corporates. We work to ensure planning for walking at all levels is informed by evidence.
Understanding Inequity in Pedestrian Safety Outcomes
Walking is a reasonably safe way to travel. But some groups of people are more likely to be hit by vehicle drivers when they are walking. And some are more likely to be seriously injured if they are involved in a crash.
Victoria Walks along with Planning Perspectives Plus is exploring all these issues and more in a comprehensive study of existing research, with new data analysis and expert interviews.
This will help us understand why certain groups are affected more than others. We will make recommendations for future research, data collection and road management.
Getting to the Bus Stop
The Bus Association commissioned a comprehensive research report on walking access to bus stops and the accessibility, safety and amenity of the immediate area.
Victoria Walks investigated walking access to bus stops by conducting: a literature review; targeted discussions with state transport agencies; data analysis; user survey; and audits of bus stop data access to 70 bus stops in Melbourne and Victorian regional towns and cities.
We provided a series of recommendations to make the experience of travelling to, from and waiting at bus stops more pleasant, convenient and safe.
Safe Access Audits
Victoria Walks developed a Safe Access Audits methodology to assess safe access for pedestrians and mobility scooters. We then applied this methodology to audit 16 activity centres and schools, over the course of four successive contracts. This was a collaboration with Safe System Solutions, who undertook safe cycling audits. The project was designed to articulate Council’s direction on safe access for users and to validate Council’s safe access auditing framework and tool for future use.
The outcome of this project was to provide a prioritised implementation plan for each activity centre including a map of works and indicative costs of treatments.
This project required technical analysis, along with stakeholder engagement and communication.
Lighting in Public Space
Leadsun commissioned Victoria Walks to conduct a research paper on Lighting in Public Space. This research considered the evidence around the need for appropriate lighting at night in public spaces, with a focus on areas for informal use that are not covered by streetlight and how this should be delivered.
The final report accounted for technical considerations in public lighting.
Good lighting is not always equivalent to more, brighter lighting – there are a complex range of potential issues that need to be balanced, such as the impacts on wildlife, human circadian rhythms and lighting which spills into neighbouring properties.
ALL-ABILITIES ACCESS AUDITS
Through a Sport & Recreation Victoria grant, this project addresses the access barriers to participation in nature-based walks for people with a disability to experience walking in Victoria’s outdoor parks. There is a lack of accurate and accessible information, which has been designed by and for people with disability, on appealing walks to inspire people to walk. Nature-based walks has multiple benefits including the opportunity to talk and connect, so comprehensive and accessible information is a valuable resource to ensure the experience is positive for people with a disability.
Through the funding, Victoria Walks is auditing walking routes and producing comprehensive maps and information to these are opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in social and recreational activities with family and friends.
safe walking access audit
We conducted a safe walking access audit of the CBD pedestrian network and public domain for the City of Mount Gambier. Our final report identified accessibility issues and infrastructure that did not meet the standards and guidelines. These were illustrated by images, with mapped locations.
Recommendations focused on practical changes that improved accessibility and equity without excessive cost.
Recommended actions were prioritised as high, medium or low priority depending on the likely benefits and ease of implementation.
