Opponents Question Plan to Replace Sydney CBD Parking With Cycle Lanes

Debates rages on in response to the City Centre Access Strategy as it's revealed that the CBD could loose around 20% of its parking places and loading zones on two key streets to make way for the expanded cycle path scheme.

1 minute read

October 9, 2013, 8:00 AM PDT

By Kat Martindale


Further reading of the City Centre Access Strategy published by the O'Farrell government last month has revealed that hundreds of parking places and loading zones are to be replaced by cycle lanes. Fairfax Media, owners of the Sydney Morning Herald, suggest that this could mean the loss of 250 spaces, and suggest the dedicated cycle lanes would come at a great inconvenience to city business and their workers. 

Chan Vongsarath, an electrical contractor working nearby commented that ''it's not feasible to pay $50 an hour for off-street parking and carry our tools down from the top floor''. 

The City of Sydney Council have said that early estimates suggest that the CBD would loose 20% of its parking places and loading zones on Castlereagh and Kent streets. Wentworth Avenue, Pitt Street, King Street, Liverpool Street, Hay Street and Campbell Street would also loose some parking bays.

This decision is backed by the government's resolve to encourage off-street parking and estimates that there are 7,000 to 21,000 vacant spaces in the CBD per day. It is a position that David Borella, president of Bike Sydney, agrees with. ''We all still want our coffees and shopping items but the current transport landscape by far too much prioritises the parking of cars.'' 

Saturday, October 5, 2013 in Sydney Morning Herald

Aerial view of homes on green hillsides in Daly City, California.

Depopulation Patterns Get Weird

A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.

April 10, 2024 - California Planning & Development Report

Aerial view of Oakland, California with bay in background

California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million

Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.

April 11, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

A view straight down LaSalle Street, lined by high-rise buildings with an El line running horizontally over the street.

Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing

Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.

April 10, 2024 - Chicago Construction News

Close-up of EV charging station sign with "No Parking except for EV charging" in outdoor parking lot.

EV Infrastructure Booming in Suburbs, Cities Lag Behind

A lack of access to charging infrastructure is holding back EV adoption in many US cities.

April 15 - PC Magazine

Two cyclists riding on a protected bike lane on a bridge in Seattle with traffic on their left.

Seattle Road Safety Advocates Say Transportation Levy Perpetuates Car-Centric Status Quo

Critics of a proposed $1.3 billion transportation levy say the package isn’t enough to keep up with inflation and rising costs and fails to support a shift away from car-oriented infrastructure.

April 15 - Publicola

EVgo electric car charging station along Interstate 15 in California desert on the route to Las Vegas.

Appeals Court: California Emissions Standards Upheld

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board, the nation's two most powerful environmental regulatory agencies, won an important round in federal court last week. But the emissions standards battle may not be over.

April 15 - San Francisco Chronicle

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.