Residents-backed concept design for new ramp circulated.
Residents in North Sydney have launched a petition with their own ramp design for the proposed Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway, just weeks after Council agreed its land could be used for the project.
On 27 February, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) offered a last-minute $1 million sweetener to North Sydney Council to grant consent for use of Bradfield Park for the cycleway.
The council was given just 24 hours to respond to the offer, which it accepted to receive $2.5 million in compensation for remediation of Bradfield Park South – just days before the State Government entered into caretaker mode before the April State Election.
This is despite the fact that the council’s general manager, Therese Manns, stated it would likely cost $7.5 million to refurbish the park, which will also require the removal of historical lead contamination.
Not all councillors agreed with the decision to accept TfNSW’s last-minute offer, with Jilly Gibson moving to rescind the motion on 28 February at a fiery extraordinary meeting.
The rescission motion was lost, and TfNSW has already started drilling – including at night – as it conducts site investigations with ramp design winner ASPECT Studios.
Local resident Ian Curdie has already received over 5,000 signatures for his change.org petition to change the ramp design in line with a community concept design.
The NSW Government selected a ‘linear ramp’ to replace 55 steps in the existing Bridge cycleway and curve down into Bradfield Park North. There was strong initial community and Council objection to the design, with concern over impact on the heritage-listed Harbour Bridge and surrounds.
Mr Curdie is asking that, following the election, the NSW Upper House ‘immediately halt the Government’s plans to install a cycle ramp’.
Councillor Jilly Gibson told North Shore Living that the community would ‘never’ give up and would continue fighting to protect the Bridge and surrounding parklands.
“We appreciate the need for some sort of new infrastructure, so that cyclists have an alternative to the stairs,” Ms Gibson said.
“But we sold out for a million dollars. The mayor should have been negotiating for way more money than that for her community.”