A new Sydney bike link has been created ahead of the building of the light rail extension, which runs through Castlereagh and Liverpool Streets. Image: City of Sydney,
City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has officially opened a new 2.5 kilometre bike link that will span from Central Station to the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
While the New South Wales government unveils its own vision for a revamp of Circular Quay at a cost of $200 million, Ms Moore’s goal of creating a bicycle-friendly CBD where cyclists and pedestrians are provided a safer area to commute has taken another significant step forward.
The new Sydney bike link is actually two cycleways that run through Castlereagh and Liverpool Streets, which have been created to ensure that the 7,000 cyclists who ride to work in the city centre each day are allocated adequate riding space to eliminate the risks posed by riding in the existing busy motorist traffic.
The unveiling of the new Sydney bike link precedes the construction of the new light rail connection through the CBD, which is also a significant part of Ms Moore’s ambition to reformat Sydney streets to be allocated more public transport infrastructure.
Although Ms Moore has received defiant opposition from the state government as well as businesses for her plans to create a more pedestrian-friendly city and for just being plain “anti-car”, she has maintained her resolve to ensure that the City’s roads are safer and less congested.
Ms Moore said getting people on their bikes takes pressure off public transport and creates more space on the roads for those who need to drive.
“The new Liverpool and Castlereagh Street separated cycleways are important pieces of the puzzle, providing safe links to help new and existing riders through the city centre,” Ms Moore said.
She said Sydneysiders have said they want more connected bike routes and Transport for NSW research shows 70 per cent of people would commute by bike if it’s made safer and more convenient.
“It’s now crucial we complete the connected bike network in the NSW Government’s City Centre Access Strategy to make riding a more accessible transport option along with new light rail, bus changes and improvements for people walking,” she said.
