Regional Bicycle Network (RBN) Local Government Grants Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Who can apply for funding?
  
  
• What if I want to apply for funding and I belong to a community or cycling group?
  
  
• What is the maximum grant amount?
  
  
• Can other funds or work in kind make up the council's 50% share of the project cost?
  
  
• What type of projects are eligible for funding under this scheme?
  
  
• What is not eligible for funding?
  
  
• How are applications assessed and scored?
  
  
• Who can I contact for more information?

Who can apply for funding?

Only local government authorities in regional Western Australia can apply for funding. This is because they are best situated to determine the needs of local communities and to operate and maintain the facilities on a long-term basis.

What if I want to apply for funding and I belong to a community group?

You should approach your local government authority to discuss your proposal and to determine if the Council is willing to submit a RBN local government grant application for the project. We encourage local community groups to work together with local government authorities to prepare submissions, but the local government authority must ultimately own and maintain the facility.

The land on which the path is to be developed must be either:

• a crown reserve – land owned by a public authority or municipal property, or
• land held for public purposes by trustees under a valid lease, title or trust deed that adequately protects the interest of the public.

What is the maximum grant amount?

The maximum grant amount is $50,000, which is provided on a dollar-for-dollar basis.

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Can other funds or work in kind make up the council's 50% share of the project cost?

The local government authority's share of the project cost can be jointly funded with other sources, such as local user groups, community groups, local industry or federal funding. Funds from other Western Australian State Government agencies can be included as part of the local government authority's funding contribution but must not exceed 50% of the project cost.

Local governments can also include work in kind or the value of material donations as their share of the cost, but cannot include administrative overheads.

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What type of projects are eligible for funding under this scheme?

Once the projects have been identified, submissions for projects can fall into one of the following categories:

Category 1: Bicycle Lanes

A bicycle lane is a marked lane on a road carriageway that provides a separated space for cyclists.

Legally, an official bicycle lane requires a "bicycle lane" sign (see below). Cars are not permitted to park on or within the lane.

Bicycle Lane Sign (r7-1-4) from AS1742.9

Official bicycle lanes are rare in Western Australia due to the parking issue. As a result, sealed shoulders are predominantly applied to roads providing space for cyclists.

A sealed shoulder is similar to a bicycle lane, except that it does not have the official status and does not require the "bicycle lane" sign. Cars are permitted to park on or within the lane (unless signed otherwise); therefore sealed shoulders should be placed on roads where parking is minimal.

Bicycle lanes are desirable on all distributor roads, which experience greater volumes of motor vehicle traffic and also provide more direct links for cyclists.

Bicycle lanes should always be considered before median islands as a solution for traffic calming. Bicycle lanes narrow the traffic lane but still leave a safe space for cyclists. It is a cheaper solution and provides greater benefits for cyclists. Motorists also tend to favour bicycle lanes as the cyclist is less likely to be in the same space as the vehicle.

Category 2: Bike Plans

The development of local bike plans is imperative to create an integrated network of cycling facilities.

A local bike plan sets out a works program for a local government authority to improve cycling facilities throughout its municipality.

Preparation of a local bike plan involves the following:

• Consultation with the community (particularly schools and cyclist groups)
• Audit of current facilities
• Development of a prioritised works program
• Council endorsement of the final report (plan)

Local bike plans can be developed either by internal staff or a specialised consultant.

Contact details for consultants who have completed local bike plans can be obtained from the Department of Transport's Bikewest Branch.

Guidelines for developing a local bike plan can be found in the local bike plan section of the application guidelines.

Category 3: Signage

Signage grants are available for both on and off road facilities. There are some serious deficiencies in legal signage throughout regional Western Australia.

For cyclists to legally use a shared path the pedestrian and cyclist symbols must be signed or pavement marked to Austroads Part 14 - Guide to Traffic Engineering Practice - Bicycles standards.

Category 4: End of Trip Facilities

In encouraging people to cycle, it is important to provide adequate end of trip facilities. The most important of these is secure bicycle parking.

End of trip type projects include:

• Bicycle U-Rails
• Bicycle Lockers
• Cora Racks
• Secure compounds (enclosures)
• Showers
• Water fountains
• Clothes lockers

To be eligible for grant funding assistance, end of trip facilities must be installed at public locations such as shopping precincts, parks and reserves, libraries, community and recreational facilities and schools.

Category 5: New Shared Paths

A shared path (formerly known as a "dual use path") is an area of path open to the public that can be used by cyclists, pedestrians and people with disabilities who require a wheelchair or motorised "gopher".

A path is designated as a shared path by means of a sign or symbols on the path surface.

New shared paths are most necessary adjacent to busy roads and along river and coastal foreshore areas. These may be used for commuting or recreational purposes.

Category 6: Path Upgrades

Many paths in regional areas are not compliant with shared path standards (i.e. minimum two metres width with appropriate clearances). There are also many paths that are not wide enough to effectively carry the high volumes (and mix) of path users. Some of these paths need to be three metres or more in width.

Path upgrades are particularly necessary at locations where the interaction between pedestrians and cyclists is a safety concern or where it is safer for cyclists to be on a path rather than a road.

General path maintenance or path replacement works are not eligible for funding, unless the width is actually increasing or the standard improved (eg red asphalt instead of slabs, path widths increasing from 1.5m to 2.0m or more).

Category 7: Promotional

Promotional grants are available for projects that promote facilities and/or develop the behavioural aspects in regard to shared path use. This may include projects that promote shared path infrastructure, encourage shared path activities for health and fitness or educate the community in regards to cycling or shared path use.

These grants include:

• Hosting openings to celebrate the completion of shared path networks
• Development of maps identifying shared paths on a regional or local basis
• Hosting promotional or educational events for cyclists and the community, with priority given to those that coincide with State wide events (eg Cycle Instead Bikeweek, Cycle to school day, Cycle Instead in Spring.)
• Development of materials related to the promotion of facilities, encouragement of shared path related activities for health and fitness and/or education
• Bicycle safety awareness and education workshops
• Other worthwhile projects

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What is not eligible for funding?

The following items cannot be funded under the RBN Local Government Grants program:

• Projects that commence before approvals are announced by the Minister
• Development of facilities on privately owned land
• The purchase of land, recurring maintenance and operating costs, landscaping, car parks, access roads and other similar infrastructure
• Maintenance of existing paths/trails

Applications will also be ineligible if the local government authority has outstanding projects from the previous year's funding round.

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How are applications assessed and scored?

An assessment process is broken down to two stages; regional assessment and central assessment.

Regional Assessment

The regional assessment committee is comprised of the Department's Regional Manager and one or more people from the following authorities: Department of Sport and Recreation, RoadWise, Main Roads WA or the relevant Regional Development Commission.
The regional assessment committee will score and rank the submissions for their region in priority order considering the following factors:

• Project justification
• Planning approach
• Continuity and connectivity
• Safety and access issues
• Community consultation
• Management and maintenance
• Design
• Community need

This score will be added to the project score for central assessment.

Central Assessment

The central assessment committee will comprise of Bikewest staff as well as any other requested by the Manager, Bikewest.

Each project category has a unique scoring system. Please refer to the application guidelines section as it reveals the maximum number of points scored for the various sections of the application.

This is summarised in the table below.

Detailed scoring breakdowns of individual questions are shown in the Appendices at the end of the application guidelines. The majority of questions result in a direct score, while some will be up to the discretion of the assessment team.

Each application will be given a total score, this score is then converted into a percentage and the applications are then ranked within each project category by the assessment team.

The total grant funding available is $750,000 across the seven project categories and nine regions.

There is a quota allocated towards each region which is based on population statistics.

The assessment committee can, at its discretion, make changes to the total grant value within each region in order to change the recommendations.

The Minister considers the recommendation report and reserves the right to make final changes.

All projects endorsed by the Minister will be successful in receiving an offer of grant funding.

Each local government authority will receive written notification of the outcome of the assessment and formal grant agreement forms will be offered to those successful authorities.

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Who can I contact for more information?

In the first instance you should contact your appropriate Regional Manager:

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