Elderly, disabled Sydney residents concerned as cycleway replaces parking
Elderly and disabled residents fear they’ll be forced out of inner Sydney by Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s “Shangri-la” vision for a carless city.
NSW
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Elderly and disabled residents who have called inner-city Sydney home for decades fear they’ll be forced out by Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s “Shangri-la” vision for a carless city.
Vulnerable residents of Portman St in Zetland said the loss of 90 parking spaces to make way for a cycleway and a mass of new developments could force them from the area, as competition from thousands of new residents for dwindling parking spots makes it impossible for them to leave their homes or receive visitors.
Portman St, a rare pocket of century-old terrace housing, is tucked amid the booming residential development of the Green Square precinct, which will have 30,000 new dwellings by 2030.
Work is under way which will see a cycle path added to a portion of the street, while the City of Sydney has also cut down decade-old trees on the street while it moves electrical services underground.
For Camilla Brown, a mother-of-one who lives on Portman St, a broken back means she can’t walk for longer than 10 minutes.
“I can’t carry anything,” she said.
“(Losing our parking) means I become a burden on my partner. We bought into this street because it had parking and gorgeous trees lined the streets. Now literally everything has been ripped out from under us. It’ll drive the older population out.”
Jodie Sheather, who has lived on the street for more than 20 years, said ditching cars for public transport wasn’t realistic for older residents, the disabled and parents of young children.
“They’re trying to force us out of our cars so we can fulfil Clover Moore’s Shangri-la vision of two household incomes and no kids,” she said.
Patsy Bolder, a 40-year resident of the street, no longer drives but relies on parking so a friend can drop off her grocery shopping and visit socially.
“He gets upset because he can’t get a park,” she said.
“This is one of the oldest suburbs in the city, but we can’t grow old here anymore,” resident Graham Strykowski added.
The nearby Gunyama Aquatic Centre was built with just four disabled spots.
Sydney Councillor and Mayoral nominee Kerryn Phelps said she worried the impact the push away from cars would have on residents.
“As more and more apartments are built, it’ll create much more competition for space — it’s going to force out people with disabilities, elderly people, tradesmen who rely on their vehicles,” she told The Telegraph.
“I would like to see the bike lane put in a spot which doesn’t see the loss of 90 parking spaces — people are already finding it incredibly difficult to find parking.”
A City of Sydney spokeswoman said parking in the area was currently being reviewed, while trees which were cut down would be replaced with new eucalypts.
“The work on Portman St will make it safer for people walking and riding, calm traffic and improve the streetscape,” she said.
“Residents will benefit from a number of improvements, including better footpaths, a new cycleway and a pedestrian crossing.”
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