Inner west ‘high street’ strips identified for weekend clearways

AT LEAST 12 of the inner west’s most congested road black spots have been identified as future weekend clearways.

Heavy Saturday morning traffic moves slowly past parked cars in the shopping precinct along Victoria Rd at Drummoyne. Picture: Joel Carrett

AT LEAST 12 of the inner west’s most congested road black spots have been identified as future weekend clearways.

To ease traffic pinch points on routes including King St, Newtown and Lyons Rd from Drummoyne to Five Dock, 12-hour clearways could operate on Saturdays and Sundays.

But one business peak body is already pushing pack with concerns that banning kerbside parking between 8am and 8pm will result in the “instant death” of popular shopping and entertainment strips.

Critics fear shoppers and restaurant goers would be put off by having to hunt for parking in crowed backstreets instead of being able to park on the main street.

They also fear clearways will allow traffic to speed up, making the shopping strips more dangerous for pedestrians.

Traffic on Frederick St Ashfield, near Henry St.

Vehicles left on a clearway risk being towed and fined.

Other clearway proposals include Victoria Rd, Drummoyne and Lyons Rd, Five Dock.

Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) has confirmed that weekend clearways to help ease traffic snarls could be introduced as figures show Saturday and Sunday traffic congestion now rivals weekday peak hours.

Weekend traffic volumes have risen by 14 per cent in the past decade compared with an 8 per cent growth during the rest of the week.

While there are fewer cars on the roads on a weekend, they make more trips. Transport for NSW figures show Sydneysiders make 15 million car journeys over the weekend.

And 2016 Census figures show 46 per cent of households in Greater Sydney now have access to two or more motor vehicles.

RMS said it wants to reduce congestion and delays on inner west and inner city roads by installing new and extended clearways on weekends — and weekdays — as part of the State Government’s $121 million Sydney Clearways Strategy.

Traffic on the Princes Highway, St Peters, on a quiet day.

The existing weekend clearway on Victoria Rd between the Iron Cove Bridge and The Crescent at Rozelle has resulted in up to 40 per cent faster travel times on weekends.

More than 40 weekend kerbside spots were removed to make way for the clearway. The State Government providing free off-street parking lots, with a two-hour limit while the clearways are operating.

“This allows motorists and bus commuters to spend more time at home with their families,” a RMS spokesman said.

“Residents, councils and businesses will be consulted during the development of any clearway proposal.”

Criteria used to establish a weekend clearway include traffic flows exceeding 800 vehicles per hour per lane; average speeds of 30km/h or below and alternative parking can be found close to local businesses.

But president of the Newtown Precinct Business Association Mark Ely said road planner should stop any move towards more weekend clearways.

Businessman and president of the Newtown Business Precinct Association, Mark Ely, on King St, Newtown. Picture: Joel Carrett

Mr Ely, who has been lobbying against the proposals for a several years, predicted that all popular shopping strips would suffer as a result.

“More than 450,000 people park on King St each year and on average, these visitors spend $46 each in the precinct.

“If you take the kerbside parking away, businesses will close. Many of them rely on the increase in trade on weekends to pay their rents.

“It would be the instant death of King St.”

Mr Ely said there is no room to build off-street car parks in the backstreets.

Existing weekend clearways include Concord Rd, Homebush Bay Drive and Centenary Drive from Rhodes to Greenacre; Parramatta Rd from North Strathfield to Ashfield and; City West Link, Dobroyd Parade and Wattle St from Rozelle to Ashfield.

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ROADS ON RADAR

The below roads across the inner west road network have been identified for further investigation of weekday and weekend clearways:

King St, Newtown

Parramatta Rd, Ashfield/Stanmore

Victoria Rd, Drummoyne

Lyons Rd, Five Dock

Concord Rd, North Strathfield

Liverpool Rd (Hume Highway), Ashfield

Frederick St and Milton St, Ashfield/Croydon Park

Old Canterbury Rd and Canterbury Rd, Lewisham/Hurlstone Park

Stanmore Rd, Enmore/Stanmore

Georges River Rd, Croydon Park

Sydenham Rd, Marrickville

Princes Highway, St Peters/Tempe.