By Michael Doran
Traversing the Warburton Rail Trail by any means is a joy but recent upgrades by Yarra Ranges Council have made it a much more enjoyable trip for those living with disability.
At a number of road crossing points the chicane barriers made it very difficult for anyone riding a non-standard bicycle to negotiate.
James Wood, a member of the council’s Disability Advisory Committee, is a regular trail user on his hand cycle and knows only too well how disruptive the old chicanes were.
Before the changes a companion rider would have to physically lift him around the chicanes.
“The previous design meant people on hand cycles, tandem bikes, and in some instances child buggies and trailers, have had difficulty getting through the chicane,” Mr Wood said.
“Independence is a huge thing for me and to know now that I can ride this part of the trail by myself is fantastic.
“A new gate has also been installed at Hooks Road in Warburton with the upgraded chicane design which means I will be able to ride from Warburton through to Wandin without having to get off my hand cycle.”
The major change has been to lengthen the chicanes to allow for the wider turning circle of hand cycles, tandem bikes and other non-standard unpowered vehicles.
Upgrades have taken place at Sunnyside Road in Seville East, Haggards Lane in Woori Yallock and Healesville Kooweerup Road in Woori Yallock.
Works to upgrade other crossings across Yarra Ranges, including at Launching Place, are planned for the next financial year.
The Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail was built by a volunteer based committee of management, which later became the Friends of the Rail Trail, who have remained key advocates for the trail and its maintenance. The chicanes were initially designed to stop vehicles entering the trail and to slow riders down ahead of roads.
