Locals dig in against Ultimo cycleway plan

Residents and local action groups are battling a City of Sydney decision to construct a 1.5m contra-flow bicycle lane on the one-way section of Bulwara Road linking UTS and Pyrmont.

This follows widely reported public protests on March 1, when another section of the 200km cycleway was opened in Bourke Road, Alexandria.

“The Bulwara plan is poorly conceived and unnecessary” says Yimmy Seiffert, Chair and spokesperson of the Ultimo Village Voice action group.

“Bulwara Road is like a quiet country lane in the heart of the city. There is just 4m of road space for all users, excluding a single row of parking, that wider vehicles such as garbage trucks and delivery vans, already find it difficult to pass. Because mature trees partially block the pavements, many people prefer to use the roadway itself, especially wheelchair occupants and mums with prams. This works because all groups share the road space equally. Nobody has priority.”

“We simply want this informal ‘share’ status of the road to be preserved and the current 50kph speed limit to be reduced to further protect all road users.”

Neighbouring action groups have rallied to back UVV’s position.

The Council of Ultimo and Pyrmont Asociations, CUPA said it “stands with UVV in opposition to the Council’s plan as presently conceived.” Elizabeth Elenius, Convenor of Pyrmont Action, said in a written protest to Sydney Councillors, “Locals appear united in their desire for Bulwara Road to be a shared precinct, as is the de-facto situation now, and to be a 40kph zone, with retention of the eight car parking spaces [that would be lost under the new plan].”

“We all support in principle COS’ aims to build a cycle network across Sydney,” continued Seiffert. “But we have a viable shared traffic system in place, so why waste taxpayers’ money?”

Residents say there are already problems with cyclists who ride south illegally up Bulwara Road, ignoring speed limits and “No Entry” signs. “They don’t warn pedestrians – which is also an offence,” one man complained. “Sanctioned two-way cycle traffic would just make it worse.”

Following announcement of the plan at a public meeting last October, COS allegedly sent letters inviting public comment to over 1000 local residents in early December, although not everyone in Bulwara Road received it. “The two-week period allowed for comment was exceptionally short,” says Seiffert, “ and it was inaccurate; this one-way section of Bulwara Road was described as in Pyrmont – not Ultimo. They said that Wattle Street is not a suitable alternative route, because it is “too busy”, even though a two-way cycle lane is already planned to run past Wentworth Park, and that the new cycle lanes will “connect to an ‘existing cycleway on Miller Street”, although everyone knows Bulwara road is dissected twice by major roads and there are no crossings.”

Pyrmont Action commented, “We are … very concerned about the discontinuous nature of the proposed Bulwara Road cycleway, noting that it is extremely dangerous to cross the Allen St off-ramp and Pyrmont Bridge Road.”

Opponents to the cycleway packed a City West Community Forum on March 3 to voice their concerns, but only three questions were accepted despite a sea of raised hands. Seiffert was able to demand an extraordinary public meeting to debate the proposal fully but received no reply from the Lord Mayor or Sydney Councillors.

UVV believes that Council had already made the decision before even announcing the plan. “It was a done deal. Residents have never been properly consulted about whether a two-way cycle lane should be constructed here at all.”

“Bulwara Road’s unique heritage character has been consistently eroded by bad planning decisions over the past 30 years. We are determined to challenge this one and action groups involved will be meeting to plan our next moves.”