About Bike Sydney
Formed in 2000,
BikeSydney works to create a safer, more liveable city, by supporting the
increased use of bicycles for transport and recreation. We have over 250 members who live and/or work
within the City of Sydney.
BikeSydney is
affiliated with Bicycle NSW, whose mission is to “promote, advocate, and
support cycling in all its forms as an environmentally sustainable and healthy
form of transport, recreation and tourism through the engagement of government,
industry and the community at all levels”.
Cycling is a
highly sustainable form of mobility, that reduces energy use, noise generation
and air pollution, as well as providing significant health benefits to the
community.
The North Eveleigh
Context
The proposed
redevelopment of the North Eveleigh site is of great interest to BikeSydney, as
it is proximate to a significant cycle route – Wilson Street, which provides a linkage
between the Sydney CBD and the inner western suburbs, as well as access to the University of Sydney,
the Australian Technology Park,
Redfern-Waterloo and the eastern suburbs.
With relatively
low levels of vehicular movement, Wilson
Street provides a safe cycling alternative to
streets such as King Street,
which is narrow and heavily congested.
At either end of Wilson Street, there have been recent improvements to
cycling infrastructure, including a dedicated contra-flow lane connecting to
Newtown Station, and upgrades to Redfern Street and parallel laneways.
Redevelopment of
the North Eveleigh site has the potential to
significantly increase traffic movements along, and across, Wilson Street. This will impact upon the safety and amenity
of cyclists using this important cycle route.
North Eveleigh Concept Plan
Representatives of
BikeSydney have reviewed the documentation for the proposed North
Eveleigh redevelopment, especially:
- Concept Plan and Environmental
Assessment - Appendix C: Landscape Masterplan
- Appendix H: Traffic and Transport
Impact Assessment
These documents
provide information on the proposed redevelopment’s impact on cycling in the
area.
Generally,
BikeSydney supports development that is focused on existing public transport
and cycling infrastructure, as this encourages the greater use of more
sustainable modes of transport.
Two of the key
objectives of the Concept Plan (Part 1.2) are the:
- provision of legible access to and
through the site, an interconnected street network, and a high reliance on
public transport - attainment of sustainable development
principles through building design and maximum use of public transport
While the North Eveleigh site provides a very strong basis for
sustainable transport (being close to rail, bus and cycle routes), we believe
that the Concept Plan does not adequately illustrate how the two objectives
stated are to be met.
Further comment is
provided below:
Excessive Parking Provision
The Concept Plan
envisages approximately 1200 dwellings (2400 residents) and 3270 jobs on the
site, as well retail and cultural uses.
To service these uses, almost 2000 parking spaces will be provided –
this figure is based on the maximum rates outlined in Council guidelines.
We believe that
this provision of parking is excessive, especially considering the site’s
location adjacent to Redfern Station, a well-serviced CityRail station. Additionally, the surrounding area is
characterised by very low car ownership, and high rates of walking and
cycling.
The most effective
way to encourage use of public transport (a key objective of the Plan) is to
limit the amount of parking provided onsite, in conjunction with enhanced
linkages to existing public transport and cycle infrastructure. Reduced traffic movements to the site will
also reduce potential conflict with pedestrian and cyclist movements.
Request:
- Significantly reduce parking
provision on the site, especially for commercial and cultural components
Inconsistent
Application of Parking Rates It appears that the Concept Plan inconsistently
applies Council’s parking guidelines to different uses on the site. Commercial parking rates are based on South
Sydney DCP 11 (which are more generous that the City of Sydney LEP rates), while residential rates
are based on the City LEP (which allows a greater number of spaces than the
South Sydney DCP).
Using the
residential rates in the City of Sydney
LEP, a total of 1279 parking spaces is proposed. By applying the rates contained within South
Sydney DCP 11 (and thus, providing consistency across the different uses on the
site) , this number would decrease to 930.
We believe that this is a more reasonable rate of parking, that helps to
reduce the impact of traffic movements and car storage.
Requests:
- Clarify rationale for parking rates
- Provide residential spaces in
accordance with South Sydney DCP 11
Bicycle Parking Rates
Given the detailed
analysis of car parking rates, it is surprising that bicycle parking is only
mentioned once throughout the documentation reviewed – a vague
recommendation that it be provided on the site.
The South Sydney
DCP 11 recommends that bicycle parking be provided at the following rates: Residential
– 1 space per 3 dwellings = 1200/3 = 400 spaces Commercial – 1 space per 20
staff = 3270/20 = 164 spaces
Requests:
- A commitment be given to providing
bicycle parking at the suggested rate, meaning a minimum of 564 racks, lockers
or stands be provided across the site - Further details including location
and style of parking be provided
General Lack of Detail
The Concept Plan
and supporting documents refer often to the benefits of cycling, especially in
reducing impact on pedestrians, and in making the public domain safer. For example, Section 4.3.10 states that the
Concept Plan will “encourage safe pedestrian and cycle movements through the
site”.
BikeSydney
supports the general principle of encouraging and supporting the safe and
convenient movement of cyclists in and around the site. However, the Concept Plan lacks any detail of
how this will be achieved. The Concept
Plan refers to “shared spaces”, “key locations’, “linkages” and “conflict
points” without clearly identifying their location and configuration.
Given the detailed
description, design and appraisal of traffic movements (including
intersections, additional turning lanes, etc) , further detail should be
provided on the proposed cycle network in and around the site. It will be too easy for vague ‘commitments’
to be forgotten as the redevelopment of the site occurs.
Requests:
- Provide clear plan of cycle routes
through the site, and entry points from Wilson Street (are they combined with
vehicular entries?) - On typical street plan/section,
indicate how space for cyclists will be delineated - Illustrate the design of
intersections (especially on Wilson
Street) to show how conflict between cars and
cyclists will be managed - Describe the potential impacts of
changes to traffic conditions on cyclists – for example, how will the new
intersection design on Wilson
Street impact on travel times for cyclists? - Provide further detail on proposed
vehicular speed limits within the site
Summary
The North Eveleigh site provides the opportunity for a highly
sustainable development, incorporating a mix of uses in a location that has
significant heritage character, important cultural and social elements, and is
in close proximity to existing transport infrastructure. Cycling plays an important role in achieving
this objective, as it provides a convenient, safe and sustainable means of
transportation. Further, the North
Eveleigh site is located within an area that is characterised by high levels of
bicycle use, and adjacent to an important cycle route through Sydney.
The proposed
Concept Plan has the potential for significant impact on the surrounding cycle
network, particularly through increased car movements.
BikeSydney believe
that the this should be addressed primarily through reducing the number of car
parking spaces on site. In addition,
further detail needs to be provided on the bicycle infrastructure within the
Plan, including bicycle routes, specific points of access, relationships to car
movements and bicycle parking.
We appreciate this
opportunity to comment on the North Eveleigh
redevelopment. Representatives from BikeSydney would be happy to consult with
the Redfern-Waterloo Authority regarding this development on any other cycling
related issues.
Regards
Andrew Dodds
President
BikeSydney