‘They just complicate things’: Bike lane madness exacerbates Sydney CBD congestion

Clover Moore’s mission to replace parking spots with bike lanes is making it harder for small businesses to do deliveries in the CBD, as a new survey reveals the Harbour City’s centre is causing drivers the most grief.

Cycle lanes in and around Castlereagh Street in Sydne on a Sunday. Picture: Julian Andrews

Clover Moore’s mission to replace parking spots with bike lanes is making it harder for small businesses to do deliveries in the CBD, as a new survey reveals the Harbour City’s centre is causing drivers the most grief.

The NRMA’s latest Business Congestion Survey has revealed Sydneysiders are spending more time sitting in traffic, with a rapidly shrinking number of delivery loading zones in the CBD creating havoc for drivers.

The survey of more than 458 fleet running businesses found more than 81 per cent believe congestion across Sydney has worsened in the last year, with more than half reporting their fleets spending 20-30 minutes more in traffic daily than a year ago. Sydney CBD was ranked the worst in the city for congestion, overtaking Western Sydney, which ranked the worst in 2024.

Sydney CBD is unsurprisingly the most congested part of the city according to the NRMA’s Business Congestion Survey. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

More than 75 per cent of fleet-running businesses reported that time wasted in traffic was their biggest concern, with 44 per cent worried about time wasted finding parking. More than 73 per cent claimed finding parking had become more difficult, with the Sydney CBD outstripping other areas as the biggest parking desert.

While the survey does not explore the causes of congestion, distribution businesses, whose vehicles deliver essential goods to retailers, cafes and restaurants around Sydney have reported a dramatic reduction of loading zones in the CBD, partly due to an increase in the number of bike lanes.

The NRMA’s latest data shows Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s fondness for bike lanes is hindering city businesses. Picture: Rohan Kelly.

Liverpool-based distributor Bruce Spiteri, who has more than 30 drivers on the road daily, said in the last five years loading zones in the city had disappeared “at the rate of knots” due to bus lane conversions and the increasing number of bike lanes, making it harder to deliver goods to businesses.

Delivery company JB Metropolitan Distributors owner Bruce Spiteri has more than 30 drivers on the roads everyday and says the congestion has gotten worse. Jane Dempster/Daily Telegraph.

He said his drivers now left work an hour earlier than they did five years ago in order to beat congestion and find parking spots. Where drivers would depart with goods around 4am, they now need to leave at 3am.

Mr Spiteri said the City of Sydney’s push to build more bike lanes in the city had dramatically reduced the number of loading zones.

“It’s progressively got worse because the number of loading spots and parks to do deliveries have become fewer,” he said.

“The bike lanes have made a big difference as well, they just complicate things and the guys have to drive around two to three times to get a parking spot.”

NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said traffic congestion in the CBD had flow-on effects for the city’s economy.

“The more time is spent driving around the CBD, trying to find loading zones and parking and affordable parking, then that’s less time they’re spending delivering goods and services and meeting clients – so there is an economic impact to congestion,” he said.

NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said traffic congestion had a negative effect on Sydney’s economy. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

Business Sydney executive director Paul Nicolaou said the council’s campaign of building more bike paths in the CBD was causing “chaos” for the city.

“The council wants to see less cars in the city, which is not the right thing to do … if we’re not giving access then Sydney will not remain an international or global city and it means businesses in the city won’t survive,” he said.

“We’re seeing loading zones disappearing on most streets, because what the council is doing is building more bike paths and widening footpaths … it’s really causing chaos in the city.”

Castlereagh Boutique Hotel board of directors president Peter Zeilic said the new bike lane out the front of the hotel has been “shocking” for business.

“The bike lanes have an impact on everything we do, from loading, to guests and disabled people trying to get into the hotel,” he said.

“We can’t get trucks to drop off or pick up material – it’s shocking, absolutely shocking.”

A City of Sydney spokesperson said the council estimates there are currently 1000 free loading zones in the city centre taking up the majority of the city’s kerbside parking space.

“While congestion is a problem in the city centre, we need to share our finite road space equitably and ensure enough room is allocated for public and active transport options,” the spokesperson said.

“Major cities across the world are facing this same problem, many of which have introduced congestion charging to limit the use of private vehicles in the city centre.

“Public, shared and active transport reduce emissions, congestion, and competition for scarce parking spaces, and improve people’s health and the city’s economy.”

Originally published as ‘They just complicate things’: Bike lane madness exacerbates Sydney CBD congestion