Northern Beaches Council plan for inclinator at Queenscliff headland
Residents could soon be whizzing up and down a popular northern beaches headland through the use of an inclinator — which carries people inside a pod on a rail. But this is just one of three options being pitched.
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Residents could soon be whizzing up and down Queenscliff Headland on a council inclinator.
Councillors will consider three options at Tuesday night’s Northern Beaches Council meeting for improved access to the headland.
One of which is a mechanical inclinator which carries people inside a pod on a rail — much like a stair lift.
Pedestrians currently access the headland via a set of steep stairs linking Greycliffe St and Bridge Rd.
However the steps are difficult to access for parents with prams, wheelchair users and cyclists.
An alternative route does exist, with pedestrians travelling towards Manly forced to go west along Queenscliff Rd and then left onto Greycliffe St.
Council officers state this detour is an additional 560 metres with no formal crossing, steep sections and inadequate sight lines.
Council officers have spent the last few months coming up with alternatives which will be presented to councillors at Tuesday’s meeting.
One of the three options is the inclinator which would be next to the existing stairs.
It is estimated to cost $670,000 to install and then a further $20,000 a year to run.
The second option is for a ramp, 114m in length with two switchbacks which would cost $1.4 million.
The third option is for a new footpath on the northern side of Greycliffe St which will be 145m long.
It is estimated to cost $650,000 and would link with existing footpaths.
The new footpath is the recommended option.
“Taking into account estimated construction costs, topography constraints, visual and environmental impacts, the option of a new footpath on the north side of Greycliffe Street, linking into an existing footpath on Upper Greycliffe Street has been identified as the most viable option,” council officers said in the report.
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Council will also carry out minor improvements to the existing staircase to address a number of deficiencies.
Despite being put forward as one of the three options, council officers said the inclinator could be at risk of breakdown, anti-social behaviour and vandalism.
Council officers also mooted the idea of installing a lift.
“An alternative to an inclinator is a lift, which is becoming more commonly used in the public domain to address accessibility,” the report states.
“For example, a lift with pedestrian overpass has been installed by the RMS in recent years at Warringah Road near Starkey Street in Forestville.”
Councillors will decide on the options at Tuesday evening’s meeting.
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