The beachside bicycle path between Head Street and Bay Street in Brighton is now open to Bayside cyclists in time for Ride to Work Day after undergoing a five-month reconstruction.

Bayside City Council has separated the pedestrian and bicycle paths to make them safer and easier to use.

Bayside City Council Mayor Cr James Long said he was glad to see the community was enjoying the path and hoped residents would make great use of it on Ride to Work Day held on Wednesday 14 October.

“Our bicycle and walking tracks are an important part of the way we exercise, travel to work and experience our beautiful surroundings,” Cr Long said.

“The path is used by many hundreds of recreational cyclists in Bayside – particularly on weekends and school holidays – so it’s important we provide the best and safest facilities possible for them.

“The path has opened just in time for residents to use on Ride to Work Day. I hope many of us get our bikes out and join in with more than 500 other Baysiders already cycling to work. It has benefits for our health and wellbeing, while also keeping us socially involved as a community.”

Bayside City Council’s engineering team managed the $385,000 project, which involved removing the old bike path to make way for a wider, safer and better bike path suited to its surroundings and environment.

The project was funded thanks to a $235,000 grant from the Australia Federal Government, with Bayside City Council providing the extra $150,000.

To register to participate in Bicycle Victoria’s Ride to Work Day, visit www.ride2work.com.au.