New Oxford St cycleway to be pushed through despite 51 per cent community opposition

Transport NSW will push on with a bikeway that will cut one of Sydney’s busiest roads from four car lanes to two, despite more than half of respondents to a hasty community consultation being against it.

A controversial cycleway on one of Sydney’s busiest roads is set to be rammed through with minimal changes, despite more than half of respondents to a hasty round of community consultation opposing the project.

The results of the consultation on the Oxford Street East Cycleway, released this week by Transport NSW, show that 51 per cent of 2300 respondents oppose the project, with another seven per cent neutral, and 42 per cent in favour.

That figure is buried in the report, with Transport NSW instead emphasising one sector of feedback gathered — the online consultation — which states that 57 per cent of 1481 respondents were in favour.

The report includes proposed minor changes to the cycleway plan set to be built between Paddington Gates and Taylor Square – like retaining one right-hand turn, while another four are set to be axed.

“Transport remains committed to this cycleway,” the report states.

Pictured at the Beacham Hotel in Darlinghurst is co-owner of the establishment Susan Ritchie. Susan says she and other businesses on Oxford Street fear the impact of a new cycleway on them. Picture: Richard

Susan Ritchie, co-owner of The Beacham Hotel on Oxford Street, said Transport’s backing of the project despite community sentiment was a “huge disappointment”.

“I think the community is disappointed in what’s considered community consultation. It feels like less and less it is consultation – it’s just a notice of what’s going to happen,” she said.

“Our strip used to be like Lygon Street in Melbourne, in that it was a bustling restaurant strip. And it has just suffered death by 1000 cuts. And this is another very severe cut because it just limits the possibilities of what we’ll be able to do.”

“Getting kegs across a cycleway with 12,000 cyclists a day will be interesting, if deliveries will even be allowed – our suppliers may even say that they just won’t deliver.”

A Transport NSW spokeswoman said the department would forge ahead with the project.

“Our next steps include incorporating the community’s ideas and feedback where possible, finishing the concept design and final business case,” a Transport NSW spokeswoman said following the report coming out.

Oxford Street in Paddington where there is a plan to halve the number of traffic lanes to accommodate a new cycleway on Oxford St, between Paddington Gates and Taylor Square. Picture: Julian Andrews

“We will also carry out further work in collaboration with a range of partners about how placemaking and activation outcomes can support a boost to the local economy.”

The project has been championed by City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, with the leader of Woollahra Council – which last month backflipped on its support for the path – accusing the project of being part of “Clover’s continual war on cars”.

“I’m not against bike paths – but they’ve got to be done cleverly,” Woollahra Mayor Richard Shields said.

“Cutting Oxford Street from four lanes to two will be a major dislocation to the businesses along it and for drivers it’s one of two major arterial roads into the eastern suburbs from the city.”

Lord Mayor Clover Moore claimed cycleways in other cities like New York, San Francisco and Melbourne had increased foot traffic and patronage and had a positive economic benefit.

“A safe and connected cycleway on Oxford Street will help calm traffic, get bikes off the footpath, and make walking more pleasant. It will take pressure off roads and public transport by providing a viable alternative to cars for making short trips,” she said.