Decision details

Moved by Councillor Forster, seconded by Councillor Phelps –

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note:

(i)         there has been significant community opposition to the City of Sydney and Transport for NSW (TfNSW) proposal for a temporary cycleway along Moore Park Road and Fitzroy Street between Lang Road, Paddington and Bourke Street, Surry Hills;

(ii)        numerous concerns have been raised by local residents, including:

(a)       lack of consultation, with residents only being informed about the proposal a few days before installation was due to start on 18 June 2020 via a single-page letterbox drop containing only vague details about the project;

(b)       major safety concerns relating to the proposed removal of pick up and drop off spaces outside the Gumnut Gardens Early Learning and Long Day Care Centre at 61 Moore Park Road, Paddington;

(c)       the removal of more than 100 on-street parking spaces, with residents told incorrectly that only 23 on-street parking spaces would be removed and being directed to park in nearby streets that are already at capacity;

(d)       the removal of a disability parking space and associated effects parking changes would have on elderly residents; and

(e)       flooding issues associated with the southern side of Moore Park Road, potentially causing major safety issues for cyclists using the temporary cycleway;

(iii)      in June 2017, Council unanimously resolved to endorse the concept design and scope of works for the Bondi Junction to City Walking and Cycling Improvements project that included a separated cycleway along Moore Park Road;

(iv)      the 2017 proposal, which involved no loss of parking, was widely supported by local residents with 88 per cent of respondents supporting the concept design, 16 per cent supporting the project outright, 71 per cent supporting the project with suggestions, and only 12 per cent objecting to the proposal;

(v)       in May 2019, the City's Local Pedestrian Cycling and Traffic Calming Committee unanimously endorsed the separated cycleway proposal; and

(vi)      the final design for this proposal is still in development and its construction is dependent on funding by the NSW Government; and

(B)      the Lord Mayor be requested to:

(i)         liaise with the NSW Minister for Transport and Roads, The Hon. Andrew Constance MP and Transport for NSW to immediately suspend the installation of the temporary cycleway along Moore Park Road and Fitzroy Street; and

(ii)        continue to work with Transport for NSW to implement the Bondi Junction to City Walking and Cycling Improvements project as soon as practicable.

The motion was lost on the following show of hands –

Ayes (3)          Councillors Chung, Forster and Phelps

Noes (6)          The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Kok, Miller, Scott, Scully and Thalis.

Motion lost.

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Note – the motion above was not carried. The resolution as below was carried –

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note:

(i)         as noted in the Lord Mayoral Minute of 15 May 2020, ‘Creating More Space for People: The Urgent Vision for a Post-Covid City’ The City of Sydney faces a looming transport crisis. The NSW Government will very soon significantly ease restrictions on business activity following the Covid-19 lockdown and people will begin returning to the city. But with social distancing rules in place, public transport capacity will be significantly limited. Private vehicle usage and traffic congestion are expected to spike, which will impact economic productivity, social wellbeing and the environment;

(iii)      pop-up cycleways, which are quick to deploy and allow people to travel safely through the city by bike, were identified as part of the solution. As a transport mode, cycling allows large volumes of people to travel while maintaining social distancing and using minimal road space;

(iv)      City staff worked with Transport for NSW to determine the best locations for the pop-up cycleways. They chose routes that would maximise connectivity within the existing network and allow access to the city centre from various geographies. They only chose roads that were already identified for future cycleways in the NSW Government’s Principal Bike Network plan. These routes were:

(a)       Bridge Road and Pyrmont Bridge Road, Glebe (between Lyons Road and Wattle Street);

(b)       Dunning Avenue, Roseberry (from Gardeners Road to Green Square);

(c)       Sydney Park Road, Alexandria (from Princes Highway to Mitchell Road);

(d)       Henderson Road, Railway Parade and Bridge Street, Erskineville (between Davey Street and Swanson Street);

(e)       Moore Park Road and Fitzroy Street (between Lang Road and Bourke Street); and

(f)        Pitt Street North (between Alfred Street and King Street);

(v)       in addition, the Minister has committed to working with the City to develop plans to deliver temporary cycleways on Oxford Street in Paddington/Darlinghurst, and King, College and Castlereagh Streets in the CBD;

(vi)      the pop-up cycleways are being funded by the NSW Government. Three of them are being delivered by the City and three are being delivered by the NSW Government. The Moore Park Road project is being delivered by the NSW Government;

(vii)     due to the urgent need to construct this cycleway before the transport crisis hits, it was approved by the Minister for Planning and Open Space under the Covid-19 Legislation Amendment (Emergency Measures) Bill 2020 and the City was unable to undertake its usual consultation process. Notifications instead were sent out to residents;

(viii)    residents recently contacted the Lord Mayor with concerns about the cycleway, relating to loss of parking, safety and congestion. Specific concerns related to pick up and drop off for a local child care centre;

(ix)      an inspection of parking on Moore Park Road by city staff in 2019 showed that of the 66 dwellings on the southern side of Moore Park Road between Cook Road and Poate Rd, 43 had off street parking;

(x)       Transport for NSW staff have worked with the child care centre to find a solution, and will be providing a P15 zone on Cook Street to allow parents to pick up and drop off their children;

(xi)      the Lord Mayor wrote to the residents of Moore Park Road and surrounding streets on Monday 22 June 2020, explaining the urgent need for the cycleway;

(xii)     the City is also working with Transport for NSW on designing a cycleway for Oxford Street, which would provide another access route in from the eastern suburbs;

(xiii)    the City will be working with the NSW Government to evaluate the success of the pop-up cycleway; and

(xiv)    at the Lord Mayor’s meeting with the Minister on Wednesday 24 June 2020, the Minister expressed his continued strong support for the project; and

(B)      the Lord Mayor be requested to liaise with the NSW Minister for Transport and Roads, the Hon. Andrew Constance MP, and Transport for NSW to strongly advocate for the existing clearway hours along Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills, not to be extended, and that parking be allowed to continue between the hours of 10am and 3pm Monday to Friday.

The motion, as varied by consent, was carried on the following show of hands –

Ayes (6)          The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Kok, Miller, Scott, Scully and Thalis

Noes (3)          Councillors Chung, Forster and Phelps.

Motion carried.

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