Oxford St East cycleway: Woollahra Council endorse plans for cycleway between Paddington and Taylor Square

Concerns have been raised that one of Sydney’s most congested roads could become even busier, with plans to halve the number of traffic lanes to accommodate a new cycleway.

Centennial Park gate at Musgrave Ave.

Concerns have been raised that one of Sydney’s most congested roads could become even busier, with plans to reduce the number of traffic lanes to accommodate a new cycleway.

Plans for a two-way cycleway along Oxford St, between Paddington Gates and Taylor Square, will come at a cost to motorists with the existing four lanes of traffic to be reduced to two.

Woollahra Liberal councillor Sean Carmichael, speaking at a meeting on Monday night, said it could make the experience of navigating the region’s roads like “sucking meat loaf through a straw”.

The cycleway proposal, put forward by Transport for NSW, is part of the state government’s $77m investment in projects for walkways and cycleways across 45 council areas.

The east Oxford St cycleway will reduce road space for the number of lanes for motorists, but will retain the two existing bus lanes and kerbside parking.

Rendering of the Oxford St Cycleway that will begin construction this year. Picture: City of Sydney.

If approved, the new 2.7km bike path would link to a 1.7km cycleway along Oxford Street between Taylor Square and Hyde Park and parts of Liverpool St, set to begin construction this year.

Mr Carmichael said congestion had emerged as a “key issue” in the lead-up to the state election and that he was worried there wasn’t enough evidence which proved the cycleway wouldn’t add to congestion across major roads, including Old South Head Rd and New South Head Rd.

Residents first councillor Harriet Price. Picture: Woollahra Council.

Liberal councillor Sean Carmichael. Picture: Woollahra Council.

“I want to make sure that when we‘re doing this we’re making sure this is a positive experience for the eastern suburbs in terms of the motorists [and] in terms of cyclists,” he said.

“This is a salient political issue in the eastern suburbs.

“I don’t want to create a situation where we are sucking meat loaf through a straw in the east.”

Woollahra Council’s director of infrastructure and sustainability Tom O‘Hanlon said research had been undertaken into the feasibility of moving car traffic off Oxford St and that Woollahra council staff would be assessing TfNSW data as the project progressed.

The new stretch of cycleway would begin at the Centennial Park gates at Paddington.

President of BIKEast Mark Worthington (left) and BIKEast member Andrew Moss. Picture: John Fotiadis.

Residents First councillor Harriet Price said she supported the draft concept plan, which had been developed by TfNSW, but more needed to be done for the “residents and the business community” who opposed the project.

“As we all know … when the community has knowledge, and further information, that is when we can get them on board with things,” she said.

BIKEast president Mark Worthington said the east Oxford St stretch of cycleway would encourage active transport and reduce the use of cars.

“We don’t think it’s right that many people consider this area and Sydney generally to be a place where it is unsafe to ride a bicycle to go to the shops or to ride to work or to go to school,” he said.

Council voted 11 to two to give in principle support to the strategic design for the Oxford St East Cycleway.

Following community feedback, an environmental assessment will be produced by TfNSW. The NSW Government will ultimately determine the project.