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Creation of a Shared Traffic Zone in Church Street, Paddington

Decision Maker: Council

Decision status: Recommendations Determined

Decision:

The original motion was moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by Councillor Vithoulkas.

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note:

(i)         shared Traffic Zones are roads or networks of roads with a speed limit of 10km/h where pedestrians and vehicles safely share road space. The implementation of these spaces has been proven to lower pedestrian injury and mortality from road accidents;

(ii)        the 2013 Sydney Streets Code outlines movement of people around streets and access to infrastructure and services as priorities for the City of Sydney in the design of streets;

(iii)      the 2013 Sydney Streets Code outlines the aim of Shared Traffic Zones as “creat[ing] a shared safe street corridor of movement for pedestrians and vehicles”, with design objectives that promote safety for pedestrians in these streets;

(iv)      residents on Church Street and surrounding streets have been advocating for Church Street to be made a shared zone since at least 2016;

(v)       at the December 2017 meeting of Council a petition of 43 signatures, representing all premises on Church Street, calling for Shared Zones within Church Street Paddington; and Continuous Footway Treatments provided at the entry and exit points of the proposed shared zone was tabled by Councillor Phillip Thalis and accepted unanimously by Council;

(vi)      the City has approved the provision of continuous footpath treatments in Church Street and Seymour Place at the intersection with South Dowling Street;

(vii)     the introduction of these treatments will give priority to pedestrians walking along South Dowling Street and improve accessibility and safety at these locations;

(viii)    on 29 July 2021, Will Mrongovius, the Convenor of the Paddington-Darlinghurst Community Working Group, wrote to Councillors requesting on behalf of local residents that a Shared Zone be installed on Church Street, Paddington;

(ix)      the City of Sydney classifies Church Street as a safe street. City staff undertook traffic counts in 2016 and 2020 recording that most drivers were travelling less than the posted speed limit;

(x)       the counts also recorded low traffic and pedestrian volumes using the street;

(xi)      the footpath at Church Street, Paddington, is 1.2 metres wide;

(xii)     the footpath at Church Street, Paddington, is in many sections obstructed by bins, trees, utility and parking poles and residential front steps; and

(xiii)    the footpath in Church Street, Paddington, is unusable for prams and wheelchairs; and

(B)      the Chief Executive Officer be requested to investigate design options to improve pedestrian amenity in Seymour Place and Church Street, Paddington.

The amended motion was carried unanimously.

S129266

Report author: Erin Cashman

Publication date: 20/09/2021

Date of decision: 20/09/2021

Decided at meeting: 20/09/2021 - Council

Accompanying Documents: