9 November 2018
BIKEast welcomes the announcement of the South Coogee to Kingsford streetscape upgrade and cycleway.
“The cycleway is an important element in a future safe, convenient and connected network of bike routes throughout Randwick city, which will be needed to encourage more people of all ages to ride bikes more often,” said BIKEast President Mark Worthington.
“More people using bicycles instead of cars for local trips has positive health, social, economic and environmental outcomes for communities through reduced vehicle pollution and congestion and lower health costs,” Mr Worthington said. “More people commuting on bikes instead of occupying seats on a bus reduces overcrowding on local routes.”
Mr Worthington said BIKEast strongly supported Option B and Option D, the two options that retain trees and the nature strip, and said BIKEast hoped council could find more locations along the route to add trees. “People generally like riding bikes in the shade of trees, both existing trees and trees that will provide shade in the future.”
Mr Worthington said BIKEast had observed that a significant number of the vehicles on the south side of Bundock Street were boats on trailers, storage trailers and advertising. “The removal of parking for such vehicles can only improve the general use and appearance of the street.”
BIKEast Vice-President Jim Hope said that the proposed streetscape upgrade and intersection improvements at Avoca Street would benefit all local residents – whether they drive, walk or ride bikes – along this route.
“The new signalised intersection at Avoca Street would improve safety for people (including schoolchildren) and enable a more controlled flow of traffic to and from Sturt and Bundock streets,” Mr Hope said. “At present this is a very dangerous crossing, and BIKEast believes this is the best solution for moving people and vehicles across this section safely.”
“This project and similar projects planned by Randwick and Bayside Councils will enable local residents to ride on safe, separated and relatively flat cycleways to the Kingsford shops and light rail terminus, Pagewood/Eastgardens, Kensington, Waterloo/Green Square, Centennial Park and local schools such as Rainbow Street Public,” Mr Hope said.
For more information and to arrange a photo, Mark Worthington can be contacted on 0412 013 262 and Jim Hope can be contacted on 0413 936 685.
Press Release also available as a pdf.
