Oxford Street Cycleway To Go Ahead Despite Community Backlash
Image: Artist’s Impression Facing East, Showing The Proposed Cycleway On The South Side Of Oxford Street And Crossing For People Walking Between Paddington Reservoir Gardens And William Street, Paddington. Image: Transport NSW.
By Grace Johnson
The NSW Government will go ahead with “vital” cycleway along Sydney’s gaybourhood Oxford Street despite community backlash and division.
The planned cycleway, which goes from Taylor Square to Centennial Park on the southern side of Oxford Street, and through Paddington, received only 57 per cent support from Transport NSW’s survey of 1500 people.
But this percentage is derived from the online survey and fails to take into account the sentiments of those who phoned in, emailed, wrote letters, or talked with community representatives face-to-face.
The consultation report, published on December 20, shows that once combined with other channels of feedback, overall support among the 2300 responses falls to 42 per cent, with 51 per cent opposed and 7 per cent neutral.
Many business shop fronts didn’t voice their opposition during the time of consultation, which lasted two months from late June, because they were not aware of the disruption that would be caused. They looked to the artist’s impression of the new cycleway (which is noted on the website as “subject to change”) and understandably thought it would all be fine, unaware of the real consequences the plan entails.
“It gave… how should I say it? A false impression,” Sue Ritchie told Star Observer. An understatement, obviously.
An Alternative Proposal
Ms Ritchie, the founder of Three Saints Square Project, submitted an alternative proposal which sees a cycleway go down Moore Park Road, which has a comparable length but significantly, no business shopfronts and fewer intersections, connecting with the Surry Hills and Central Railway cycleway.
“There was actually no consultation about the cycleway being on Oxford Street. That was a decision that was made by Transport NSW. There is an alternative in Moore Park Road, but that has not been the subject of community consultation,” Ms Ritchie pointed out.
The Paddington Society has also put forward a vision for revitalising Oxford Street, referred to as “Plan B”, with 71 more trees, extended footpaths for al fresco dining, as well as car parking bays and bus bays, which has received great community support.
“As a community, we’ve come up with Plan C, which is best for cyclists,” Ritchie told City Hub.
Plan C allows cyclists to take an express route from Paddington Gates at one end of Paddington to Taylor Square at the other end, which would be along Moore Park Road. Or they could take the parallel scenic route along a beautified Oxford Street, according to the Paddington Society’s plan.
A cycleway on Oxford Street would be a hit for businesses. Car parking will no longer be possible. Where will delivery trucks go?
“Another problem is that the cycleway requires five right-hand turns on Oxford Street to be blocked. So, for example, if you’re coming up South Dowling Street and turning right onto Oxford Street, you won’t be able to do that anymore,” said Ritchie.
“In fact, if you’re in Taylor Square, and you’re heading east, you won’t be able to turn right after Taylor Square until Bondi Junction.”
Going into smaller streets on the left to turn around would only create more congestion and problems for the residents on those streets.
Increased traffic to Moore Park
The NSW Government has been planning to allow more concerts at the Allianz Stadium in Moore Park. Currently, only six concerts a year are currently permitted, with a maximum rolling average of four a year over any five-year period.
In May this year, NSW Premier Chris Minns announced he would increase the cap on Allianz Stadium to allow twenty concerts a year.
“So, where’s the traffic management plan that goes with that?” Ritchie questioned. “It already gets gridlocked there.”
“If people could cycle to the football with the kids, or if they could cycle to the cricket or to other events, it’s another destination that that solution with the dedicated cycleway on Moore Park Road would also accommodate with their plans for increasing patronage of the stadiums.”
Keeping Oxford Street alive
Oxford Street, the birthplace of Mardi Gras, home of some of the country’s finest art schools, a “spirited place for people and individualism, creativity and expression”, as Ritchie puts it, has suffered several blows over the past few years, most notably with Sydney’s lockout laws.
“It’s just been death by a thousand cuts,” said Ritchie. “It’s still an internationally-recognised icon for Sydney, but it’s just a shadow of its former self.”
Looking at Transport NSW’s report, it seems inevitable that the new cycleway will be rammed through, despite objections and alternative solutions.
“The community is supportive of cyclists. A lot of the community are cyclists. But not this solution,” said Ritchie.
“We can have a solution on Moore Park Road and have a cultural solution for Oxford Street. This is just really another significant cut.”
It’s clear to me that the sports lobby has won again; they don’t want a cycleway in Moore Park Road because all the busses bringing patrons to the sports grounds want to park on the south side of Moore Park Road, as they did before the present cycleway.
No Richard endless parking kills shopping. Once upon a time most of waked everywhere in Darlinghurst/Paddo. Cashed up bogans always need their cars.
Just keep the cyclist off the footpaths
And be prepared for 3 years of construction
50% cost overrun And for in to be removed again in 2030
Agree with David,,it also kills shopping ,,,do you see cyclists with shopping bags ,,,
This is typical of government consultation processes. Do it regardless of what people think.