Why Southbank’s Queensbridge Square upgrade may give the boot to red stairs eyesore

In a potential boost to Southbank traders, Lord Mayor Sally Capp is considering removing Queensbridge Square’s red stairs, saying the dilapidated precinct “could do with some love”.

The red stairs at Queensbridge Square in Southbank may soon be removed. Picture: David Caird

In a potential huge boost to Southbank and its traders, Lord Mayor Sally Capp has tasked Town Hall bureaucrats to find out the cost of removing Queensbridge Square’s eyesore red stairs and start planning for an upgrade to the area.

The move to investigate upgrading Queensbridge Square comes after the Herald Sun revealed the concerns of the key trader group, the Yarra River Business Association, that the area was so dilapidated it was hurting the city’s image.

Ms Capp told a council meeting held in Southbank on Tuesday night that the City of Melbourne may find funds to deliver an upgrade to Queensbridge Square.

The red stairs at Queensbridge Square has been deemed ‘unsightly’. Picture: David Caird

“We’re very aware that the stairs and that precinct could do with some love,” Ms Capp said.

“I’d love to know how much it would cost to just take (the red stairs) away and open it up so we see the streetscape and it wouldn’t be such a barrier.

“I have been speaking to our CEO just now that we’ve got some capacity to actually look at – or revisit – plans for that area beyond repair (works).”

Ms Capp acknowledged the red stairs looked “tired” even with the council’s previous maintenance work.

Yarra River Business Association executive officer Tim Bracher took the opportunity at the public meeting to request the council commence works in the area “ASAP”.

“It is rather unsightly for Melbourne’s key tourism precinct,” he said.

Mr Bracher said the quality and presentation of the public spaces along the waterfront in Southbank had declined significantly over recent years.

“Only two small spaces between Princes Bridge and Evan Walker Bridge have been refurbished at this stage,” he said.

Sally Capp says the precinct could ‘do with some love’. Picture: David Caird

Ms Capp was also forced to admit the council made an embarrassing error by claiming it had finished works to upgrade Southbank Promenade between Evan Walker Bridge and Queensbridge Square, despite no work having started on that section of the walkway.

“It was a misstatement to say that we have completed all of those works through to Queensbridge Square,” she said.

“It was really the fact that we completed the works to Evan Walker Bridge.”

Ms Capp also claimed that the much-reduced first stage of Southbank Promenade upgrade did make it safer by increasing the area that cyclists and walkers could use, despite local community members continually raising concerns that the issue remains as bad as ever.

“The wider spaces allow more room for cyclists and pedestrians to be able to avoid each other, minimising risks of collisions,” she said.