Space For Health asks in social distancing times

With over 100 experts calling for more safe walking and cycling space for health, and the NSW Government announcement for $15m grant funding for Streets as Shared Spaces, BIKEast has been writing to decision makers to support local initiatives in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.  These initiatives include:

Waverley

1. Weekend lane / street closures to facilitate cycling to Centennial Park, given that the park itself it is now closed to motor traffic
2. The creation of temporary “pop up” separated bike lanes and share paths along key routes, to facilitate safe exercise and transport for key workers (including healthcare workers and those delivering food and goods). This could include routes from Bronte to Bondi to alleviate pressure on the Coastal Walk, which led to its closure.
3. Temporary street closures to through motor traffic and speed reductions to unlock additional public space and increase the safety of those cycling and walking – especially including Barracluff Avenue (recent Traffic Committee item)
4. Urgent improvements to existing identified cycling and walking routes

Randwick

Children enjoying the Clovelly carpark closures

1. Temporary speed reductions in all shopping, recreational, health and education precincts (including Coogee Bay Rd, Belmore Rd, Anzac Pde Maroubra, near POWH and UNSW, and extending one block along perpendicular streets),plus additional pedestrian crossing facilities in these areas.
2. Temporary street closures to through motor traffic (and local resident access only) near recreational areas at the coast and Centennial Park.
3. Temporary “pop up” separated bike lanes along routespreviously identified by Council as bicycle route priorities, to facilitate safe exercise and transport for key workers (including healthcare workers and those delivering food and goods).
4. Urgent improvements to existing cycling and walking routes and infrastructure, as outlined in the Randwick Council Initiatives for Bicycle Riders prepared for the Cycleways and Bicycle Facilities Advisory Committee.

Bayside

1. Protected active travel facilities along routes that connect town centres, to facilitate safe exercise and transport for key workers (including healthcare workers and those delivering food and goods) with the ability to maintain effective social distancing. For example:
   1. Banksmeadow to Kingsford via Stephen Road, Page St, Heffron Rd,
      Banks Ave (part of the Botany to CBD cycling route)
   2. Dolls Point to Brighton-Le-Sands via Chuter Ave, O’Connell St, Crawford Rd (part of the Sutherland Shire to CBD cycling route)
2. Speed reductions in all shopping, recreatioonal, health and education precincts, plus additional pedestrian crossing facilities in these areas. For example:
   1. Mascot, Botany, Banksmeadow,
   2. Wolli Creek, Brighton-Le-Sands, Ramsgate Beach,
   3. Rockdale, Kogarah, Kingsgrove.

Woollahra

1. Funding support for
   1. Paddington Greenway
   2. Rose Bay ferry to Bondi Beach
2. Safe walking and cycling provision for
   1. the section of Old South Head Rd from Vaucluse to Watsons Bay identified on the Woollahra Cycleways
   2. New Beach Road (around the CYC, boat chandlers and boat broker businesses) and Nield Avenue.
   3. Norwich Rd and Ln link from Newcastle Street to Lyne Park, to connect Bondi Beach (via Curlewis pending Waverley Council) to Lyne Park and the Rose Bay Wharf as a safe option until a safer route along O’Sullivan Rd can be implemented. It is only about 160m longer to the Wharf via the Newcastle bike route.
3. 40kph speed zones for centres such as Rose Bay
4. O’Sullivan Rd bi-directional cycleway project
5. ‘Shared zone’ proposals – eg. Gurner Lane next to Glenmore Road Public School, Paddington

Centennial Parklands

Car-free Centennial Park (Photo by BikeSydney)

1. Funding to fast-track improvements for The Paddington Gates (due for REF consultation mid 2020)
2. Extension of car-free days in Centennial Park (with suggested amendments)
3. More space at intersections for people – eg. Queens Park, Anzac Parade.

What can you do?

1. Sign and share the SpaceForHealth petition (5 mins)
2. Tweet to your local council, local councillors, state representatives, urging them to progress the local projects that you are passionate about (5 mins)
3. Write to your local council, local councillors, state representatives, urging them to progress the local projects you are passionate about (30 mins)
4. NSW Gov Streets as Shared Spaces(Closes 10 June 2020)
   1. Complete the survey (10 mins)
   2. Add suggestions to the interactive map (as long as you want!)
5. Any other activity involving spreading the word and joy about walking and cycling (whilst social distancing)!

For more information, go to SpaceForHealth.