New cycleways in Oxford and Liverpool Street approved by City of Sydney councillors

By SEJA AL ZAIDI

The City of Sydney has officially approved the introduction of two new cycleways in the inner city, with the Oxford and Liverpool Street cycleways set to service multiple areas and create linkages across different geographical parts of the city. 

The motion was ushered in during the first council meeting of the year, with the new routes to connect Mascot in the south to Circular Quay in the city’s north, UNSW in the east and Lilyfield in the inner west. 

Cr Moore noted that the existing Pitt Street cycleway “carries over 6000 bike trips a week” for travellers getting in and out of the city, but “is currently not well connected to the rest of the network”.

Liberal councillor Lyndon Gannon echoed Cr Moore’s support for the new projects, saying that he was “100 per cent for cycleways”.

Rob Stokes, the new Active Transport Minister in NSW, expressed a desire to double the $950 million spending on cycleways, footpaths and other transport links over the next five years. 

“I look forward to working with him on that, and advocating for more cycleways through council,” Cr Gannon added.

“The cycleways need to be well integrated, considered and effectively implemented, unlike the pop-up cycleways.”

The pop-up cycleway system, developed in the earlier stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, was implemented as an alternative to public transport, with routes covering Pyrmont Bridge, Pitt Street, Moore Park Road and Fitzroy Street, Ashmore to South Eveleigh, Sydney Park Road and Dunning Avenue. 

When asked if community feedback would play a role in the development of the new cycleways, Cr Gannon said that it would be critical in future planning and implementation. 

“It’s absolutely a democratic process. We’re there to advocate for our community.”