City Council Faces Disability Discrimination Complaint After Quietly Narrowing Footpaths
Image: Narrowing footpaths in Erskineville, via Walk Sydney
Sydney’s City Council is facing backlash after quietly narrowing footpaths in Erskineville, sparking concerns from locals about lack of accessibility for people with disabilities, and prompting a discrimination complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commision (AHRC).
The reduction of the eastern footpaths from 2.3 metres to 1.4 metres, a breach of Transport NSW’s Walking Space Standard, was made so new garden beds could be implemented.
The construction has been strongly opposed by accessibility advocate site WalkSydney for posing challenges for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility.
WalkSydney advocate files AHRC complaint in response to narrowing footpaths by City Council
Christopher Standen, an urban planning researcher at University of New South Wales, filed the AHRC complaint.
”I made the complaint to the Human Rights Council as an advocate for a friend with a disability,” Standen told City Hub.
Standen criticised the council’s oversight in not consulting the community or any disability advocacy groups before proceeding with the project, a decision he says violate’s community engagement guidelines.
“I’d like the City to restore the footpaths it has narrowed,” he told City Hub. “In future, I’d like the City to consult the community and disability groups before narrowing footpaths, to follow its own inclusion and disability strategy, and to consider placing new garden beds in the roadway where they will help calm traffic and won’t degrade access for people with disability.”
In August, the Lord Mayor and council staff attended a site meeting at the behest of the community to observe the impact of inaccessibility surrounding Erskineville’s concourse themselves.
Standen noted in a piece for Walk Sydney that they saw the risks of the narrow pathway, like children sharing the traffic-filled roadway and decided to investigate options of making changes to Bridge Street. However, the council later declined to restore the footpath to a wider size to accommodate those with disabilities, but say they will monitor the situation.
Narrowing of footpath results in inaccessibility for those with mobility issues and others
Standen further explained to City Hub, “A footpath less than 1.4 metres is not wide enough for people to overtake each other or to walk side by side, and causes friction between people travelling in opposite directions.”
He added “Narrowing footpaths causes particular difficulties for people who are blind, have low vision, or use a wheelchair or mobility aid.”
Standen also highlighted that such actions contravene Sydney’s aim and Australia’s Disability Discrimination Act, adding, “Narrowing footpaths and discouraging walking in densely populated residential neighbourhoods is the opposite of what the City should be doing to meet its climate, sustainability and inclusivity goals.”
Standen added, “While the City of Sydney has strong strategies for walking, accessibility, and community engagement, the failure of staff to follow them highlights systemic and leadership failings.”
The decision undermines the bustling city’s reputation as one of the top 10 accessible cities in the world in 2022, and its broader goals. There is still a long way to go in terms of achieving full accessibility for all including continued renovations and avid community consultation.
The City of Sydney responded to CityHub’s request for comment on 11 November.
A City of Sydney spokesperson said:
“The City of Sydney has an Inclusion (Disability) Action Plan 2021-2025 which sets out our commitment to build an inclusive and accessible city for everyone.
“We also have strategies that guide our engagement principles, approaches and processes to ensure it is clear, accountable, meaningful, inclusive and accessible.
“The Lord Mayor has met with local residents, community groups and representatives from the nearby school.
“Following feedback from the community the City of Sydney has made several changes to the footpath on Bridge Street including installing passing zones at regular intervals and adjusting the landscaping.
“We’re monitoring this new arrangement and will make further adjustments if needed.”
