It looks as though the badly implemented lack-of-bike path through the newly rebuilt Huntingdale station precinct is now being rectified. For years the old railway car park had the “Station trail” bike path come in one end, then left it to cyclists to mingle with parking and un-parking motorists for 200m or so, then rejoin a new section of bike path at the far end of the car park. By bureaucratic sleight of hand this was referred to as part of a “continuous off-road bike path” regardless of the hazard it presented to anyone from commuter cyclists to families with small children who tried to ride through there.

Approximately a year ago the car park was closed, dug up, and then replaced by a shiny new car park and bus interchange. Amazingly, if anything, the bike path was rebuilt in a worse fashion! Clearly put into the too-hard basket, the new Djerring trail simply came in either end and cyclists were faced with a “Cyclist dismount” sign and left to walk their bikes through the middle of the bus interchange, squeezing through a narrow gap between the back of the bus shelters and a metal railing. This did nothing to silence the council, Bicycle Network, or the Level Crossing Removal Authority, who relabeled the “Station trail" as the “Djerring trail" and then all continued to trumpet the benefits of their “continuous off-road bike path", despite cyclists not being allowed to cycle on it.

Finally, and presumably after some embarrassment, it appears that the Djerring trail shared path is being built through the station precinct – and along an alignment that will not cause conflict between cyclists heading east-west and train and bus passengers heading north-south.

One step closer, but still not quite a “continuous off-road bike path” from Caulfield to Dandenong, I guess next is the the 300m section of car park and no-cycling footpath through the Oakleigh station… but don’t hold your breath.