Decision details

Moved by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Kok –

It is resolved that:

(A)       Council note:

(i)         in June 2024, Council adopted A City for Walking: Strategy and Action Plan - Continuing the Vision, which states that to create a city for walking, fundamental needs should be met including making it possible to walk safely with basic infrastructure such as lighting;

(ii)        Friends of Erskineville (FOE) have launched their ‘Light Up the Bridge’ campaign to address pedestrian safety concerns and advocate for pedestrian lighting to be installed on Erskineville Road rail bridge (the bridge), located between Linthorpe and Angel Streets in Erskineville;

(iii)       the campaign includes a petition that has 590 signatories (as at 24 October 2024) calling on Transport for NSW (TfNSW) to immediately install adequate lighting as a public safety measure;

(iv)       the bridge is owned by Transport for NSW and therefore any associated lighting attached to the bridge would become Transport for NSW assets;

(v)        City staff have investigated installing lighting on the footpath at each end of the bridge. However, due to the length of the bridge, it is not viable to provide compliant lighting without placing lighting on the bridge itself;

(vi)       Friends of Erskineville is calling on the Minister for Transport, Jo Haylen, to instruct Transport for NSW to urgently address this safety issue before an injury occurs as it is an area of high pedestrian activity;

(vii)      City staff have advocated to Transport for NSW who said they are aware of the situation and the collective interest in improving the lighting across the bridge; and

(viii)    in a letter to Friends of Erskineville, Transport for NSW notes that they are aware the bridge does not meet community expectations, are working with City of Sydney and Ausgrid (electricity supplier) on the issue and will update the community with the outcomes of its investigations once a solution is determined; and

(B)       the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the NSW Minister for Transport advocating for the immediate installation of pedestrian lighting on the Erskineville Road rail bridge.

Carried unanimously.

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