Neutral Bay, Roseville, Northbridge pedestrian zones divide opinions among north shore residents

Plans to replace cars with pedestrian zones on key roads in north shore shopping strips are dividing opinions among residents and business owners.

Plans to replace cars with pedestrian zones on key roads in north shore shopping strips are dividing opinions among local residents and business owners.

New plazas, widened footpaths and lower speed limits are among the list of pedestrian friendly projects planned or underway in town centres in a move partly aimed at enticing residents to shop local.

The works include several projects funded through the State Government’s ‘streets as shared space program’ which involves trialling new “pop-up” shared spaces which could be made permanent pending further consultation.

A concept plan of the Young St plaza project was intended to look like.

The works, however, have been met with resistance from some locals due to concerns including loss of parking spaces and increased congestion on surrounding roads.

The biggest furore has unfolded in Neutral Bay with a majority of local councillors voting to remove a temporary green space in Young St that was put in place last year to provide new recreation space for the community.

The trial of the plaza cost North Sydney Council $488,000 to implement, and was due to be made permanent through a $1.9 million grant from Transport for NSW compensating the community for the disruption of the B Line bus stop construction.

A photo of the Young St plaza.

Transport for NSW, in a statement, confirmed all unspent funds from the grant allocated to the permanent closure will need to be repaid to the department.

Councillor Jilly Gibson – one of four councillors who supported retaining the plaza – said the project had addressed a lack of green space in the town centre and removing it would be a “waste of ratepayer funds”.

Councillor James Spenceley pointed to public feedback that showed 56 per cent of locals were supportive of the project.

Councillor Jilly Gibson is a supporter of the plaza.

Councillor MaryAnn Beregi is opposed to the project.

“Every day I see more than 100 people using the space at a time – mothers’ groups, workers with laptops working in the sun. We need to think about the effect of taking it away from the people that are using it,” he said.

MaryAnn Beregi, one of six councillors who voted to remove the green space, said plans for the plaza lacked adequate community consultation, impacted businesses including a newsagency forced to relocate from the site and caused implications for the wider road network.

“Since Covid, what is happening is traffic gridlock because people are back in their cars and the plaza isn’t being used because we can go outside the 5km limit of our local government area,” she said.

A photo of Young Street plaza.

“It’s not a nice space – it’s a windswept canyon.”

There has been a similar mix of reactions from residents including Meredith Trevallyn-Jones – who chairs a community group taking in the views of residents north of the plaza.

“Young St is one of the key feeder streets from the north Cremorne area and when that was cut off there was far more congestion on Ben Boyd Rd and Waters Rd as a result,” she said.

Meredith Trevallyn-Jones said the plaza has impacted local traffic.

“You also have delivery trucks having to be diverted as well. It’s made things more difficult for people who live in the area.”

Feedback from the Neutral Bay precinct, which takes in community views south of the plaza, said Neutral Bay residents are already being disadvantaged by the widening of the Warringah Freeway which has involved the loss of half of Cammeray Golf Club.

“Now we are losing Young Street and it will be years of consultation before we get another open space plan,” the precinct said.

“There doesn’t immediately appear to be other options for new open space in the town centre.”

A photo of the new pedestrian zone in Northbridge.

Willoughby and Ku-ring-gai Councils are meanwhile facing early resistance for planned pedestrian friendly zones funded through the streets as shared space program.

In Northbridge, a petition has been started opposing the six month trial closure of Bellambi Street which opponents state could: “throw more traffic onto side streets.”

In Roseville, there are plans for new pedestrian friendly works on Hill Street which includes removing a strip of carparks opposite Roseville Station to make way for street furniture, outdoor dining areas and floral displays.

A site plan of the new pedestrian friendly zones in Roseville.

Ku-ring-gai Council hopes the project will encourage “evening activations” in the town centre and “businesses to increase their operating hours”. The project also includes traffic calming measures to slow traffic and promote active transport.

Winnie Liang, who runs Roseville Fresh Foods, described the plan as a “waste of money.”

”It looks stupid and they’re talking about night time activity but after 6pm the street is empty – nobody is here,” she said.

“If you take away the car parks customers have no way to come here because they can’t park.

“They should spend the money on something people will actually use like a public toilet, not something that will hurt local businesses.”