Castle Cove to Chatswood bike path plan hits a hurdle after resident feedback

Plans for the latest bike path planned on the north shore has hit a hurdle after opposition from residents and motorists. But bike advocates say it’s the community’s loss.

The north shore is in the midst of a bike path boom with new routes planned in suburbs across the region – but one proposal is heading back to the drawing board after meeting staunch opposition from residents.

Less than a fifth of a proposed cycle route connecting Castle Cove to Chatswood is set to be given the go ahead following a public exhibition period that had just 28 per cent of residents giving the idea the thumbs up.

The 3.4km route planned by Willoughby Council would have linked Orara St in the west to Explosives Reserve in the east and featured a combination of on-road sections and shared paths to complete a piece of the region’s bike network.

An overview of the route.

The route is among the latest in a growing list of proposed bike paths in the region including links between Chatswood and St Leonards via Artarmon, a shared path along the Pacific Hwy, a route connecting Chatswood to Hornsby and a new ramp for cyclists at the northern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The finer details of Chatswood to Castle Cove plan met concern from residents due to removal of parking spaces on Deepwater Rd and Smith St, the installation of speed bumps for cycle safety and the loss of trees on four roads along the route.

A public feedback report showed just 53 of the 144 residents quizzed on the plans supported the project – with 88 of the 91 objections coming from residents in Castle Cove.

The plans included on-road paths and new speed bumps to slow motorists down.

The path would have linked Chatswood to Castle Cove.

In response, the council’s traffic committee has voted on progressing about 500m of the route on Eastern Valley Way, Smith St and High St and taking no further design work on the bulk of the route including on Castle Cove Dr, Deepwater Rd and Neerim Rd.

Castle Cove Progress Association secretary Ken Rutherford said concerns among residents had centred on the safety on narrow sections of roadway and impacts on Castle Cove Dr which currently carries 2050 cars per day.

He also questioned the demand for the project.

“Most of the people who cycle in Castle Cove pick their own route and what the council was planning seemed to be about getting outsiders in,” he said.

“There are narrow roads that are 7m wide and if you add in cyclists where cars are parked it’s a safety hazard. There’s also no room for dedicated cycleways. There were a lot of problems with it.”

Bike North member Caroline New said the path would have encouraged the uptake of cycling in the suburb and improved safety for bike riders.

“It’s ‘build it and they come’ – if you create a cycle-friendly environment it does encourage people to cycle, particularly people who are worried about safety,” she said.

“Looking at the feedback around speed humps it seemed crazy people wanted to drive fast in a residential area – people should be driving much lower 50kmh in my view.

“But given the feedback I can understand why the council isn’t progressing with – if the community isn’t ready for it it’s their loss.”

The route has been in the works since 2012 and aimed at providing access for shops in Denawen Ave, buses along Eastern Valley Way and businesses in the Chatswood East Industrial Area.

A council spokeswoman said the traffic committee requested that the detailed design process for the section of the route that will go ahead include an investigation into the feasibility of providing a shared path along Eastern Valley Way, east side of road, between Castle Cove Dr and Smith St.