Greens call for old Glebe Island Bridge to be retained

GREENS councillors on Leichhardt Council want the disused Glebe Island Bridge retained regardless of future development at Rozelle Bay.

bridge demolition

GREENS councillors on Leichhardt Council want the disused Glebe Island Bridge retained regardless of future development at the Rozelle Bay precinct.

The council wants an independent report completed on the costs involved in keeping the bridge.

It fears the White Bay cruise passenger terminal development and planned changes at the Sydney Superyacht Marina could lead to the bridge being demolished.

The electrically-operated swing bridge, which was built in 1903, has not been used since the Anzac Bridge was opened in 1995.

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Greens councillors want the bridge to be saved, with it able to become a pedestrian, cycle and light rail link to the city in the future.

There are concerns the Roads and Maritime Services could demolish the bridge to allow better access to Rozelle Bay.

"This is a heritage bridge that is a potentially active pedestrian corridor,'' Greens councillor Rochelle Porteous said.

Glebe Society president John Gray said the bridge was of "significant heritage'' value and needed to be retained.

Mr Gray said removing the bridge would cost the government $28 million, while it was only an extra $5 million to restore it.

"It is absoluetly essential there is another low level crossing into the city, so it would be quite silly and short term thinking to remove the bridge.''

An RMS spokeswoman said the future of the bridge was "canvassed heavily'' during the Bays Precinct consultation process.

"The government is now considering the recommendations of the taskforce report,'' she said.