Why it is taking so long to move restaurant dumped on bikeway

A derelict restaurant left high and dry on Queensland’s busiest bikeway during the floods could take many weeks to move. Here’s why.

The derelict Drift restaurant could take weeks, or even longer, to remove after being dumped on a westside bikeway during the floods.

Pilings have pierced the metal structure’s flooring, complicating the huge engineering task.

And few marine salvage companies in Australia have cranes big enough to lift the restaurant off the Bicentennial Bikeway, one of the busiest bikeways in the country.

About 5000 pedestrians and cyclists a day used the riverfront 4.8km bikeway, stretching from Toowong to Milton near the CBD.

Drift restaurant is now high and dry on the Bicentennial Bikeway at Milton.

Owner Ken Allsop announced just before the floods hit that he intended to reopen Drift in March. He had been advertising for tenants as recently as early February.

Drift has fallen into disrepair since the 2011 floods, when it washed downstream from Milton and collided with a bridge.

Mr Allsop said a fortnight ago that he still hoped to salvage the structure, but has not responded to numerous attempts by Westside News to contact him since then.

He has since told media he wants either the State Government or Council to pay for cranes to move Drift so he can repair it.

It is believed the Department of Resources has found it difficult to contact Mr Allsop to negotiate details of the removal.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey and Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner met a fortnight ago to discuss the issue and agreed the State Government would take the lead.

Mr Bailey said it was a huge engineering task and input was needed from Maritime Safety Queensland.

Drift restaurant is now high and dry on the Bicentennial Bikeway at Milton.

However Mr Bailey, a keen cyclist who has delivered the southside’s Veloway and other key cycling infrastructure, said he was determined to clear the Bicentennial Bikeway as quickly as possible.

A pontoon which became stuck on the bikeway near the CBD reach was removed a week ago, while damaged caused by another pontoon washed down the Brisbane River was yet to be fixed.

“This is going to be a major job to move it, but there will be work done on it as a priority very soon,’’ Mr Bailey said.

“We’re going to need some pretty big cranes and a carefully orchestrated plan to move it.

“But I’m of the view that bikeways are of fundamental importance to our transport system ... every bike is one less car on the roads.’’

Local state Greens MP Michael Berkman has called for one lane of the adjacent Coronation Drive to be closed until the bikeway is reopened, to allow cyclists to safely get around that section.

Coronation Drive is one of Brisbane’s key arterial roads and extremely busy. Council has rejected Mr Berkman’s suggestion.

“Sadly, despite quite a lot of pressure, Council decided not to do that, instead installing “cyclist dismount” signs on the very narrow footpath on Coronaton Drive,’' Mr Berkman posted on his Facebook page.

“I’m very worried that someone is going to get hurt — either a pedestrian on the footpath colliding with a cyclist/scooter, or a cyclist on the road.’’