GreenWay cycle and pedestrian link ‘delayed by at least a year’

Sydney Trains has been accused of holding up the inner west’s most important cycle link by at least a year.

Concept images showing what the GreenWay will look like.

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Sydney Trains has been accused of holding up the inner west’s most important cycle link by at least a year.

But the need to protect an endangered microbat colony is also causing delays to the GreenWay cycle, pedestrian and biodiversity link which will connect the Cooks River with Iron Cove.

Inner West Labor mayor Darcy Byrne, federal shadow infrastructure minister Anthony Albanese and Summer Hill Labor MP Jo Haylen said “bureaucratic delays” have held up the $58 million project by at least a year and claim the whole project was now in jeopardy.

Inner West Council said Sydney Trains had not given approval for proposed works despite all necessary development applications being lodged in August.

The GreenWay cycle, pedestrian and biodiversity link from Iron Cove to Cooks River has been approved.

A council spokesman said the green light had not been granted for the “Central Missing Links” which included a suspended path over Hawthorne Canal, an upgraded shared path through Cadigal Reserve and a new shared path between Lewisham west light rail stop and Old Canterbury Rd.

Cr Byrne said Sydney Trains were “stalling at every turn”.

“After more than a year of ridiculous red tape and bureaucratic delays, we can’t allow the whole Greenway project to be derailed by Sydney Trains,” he said.

Mr Albanese said: “Having fought so hard over many years to deliver funding for the GreenWay, it would be a tragedy for the Inner West to see the project fall over now because of bureaucratic inertia.”

A map showing the route of the GreenWay cycle and pedestrian link.

A spokeswoman for Sydney Trains said the council was yet to provide a biodiversity report, which was a requirement of the approval process.

“As an agent for the land owner, RailCorp, Sydney Trains will follow due process and review the biodiversity report before considering any consent to use the land,” she said.

“Sydney Trains is also contractually obliged to seek advice from Transport for NSW and light rail operator, Transdev, as co-occupants of the land.”

The project has been delayed by a year, according to Labor.

The agency was also undertaking a condition assessment of the heritage-listed Whipple Truss Bridge at Lewisham to ensure the safety of future pedestrians or cyclists.

“As the bridge is located next to an endangered microbat colony, Sydney Trains was prevented from conducting this assessment until the summer months, when the colony had migrated, to limit the impact on the colony.”

The Central Missing Links was due to be completed around April 2020 but will be delayed a year, according to the council.

Of the existing funding available to deliver about $27.8 million of works over the next three years, $18 million is coming from the State Government and $9.8 million from the council.

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