WATERLOO/REDFERN: The cycleway on George Street is just about complete. Council and contractors are to be commended for the meticulous construction work, including drainage, signage, surfacing and landscaping. The path offers a smooth and speedy ride north and south, with all the safety benefits of separation from motor traffic.
One day (we hope) the inner city will be replete with cycleways like this and we can all enjoy the benefits of reduced traffic congestion and pollution. In the meantime, as Elizabeth Farrelly has highlighted, we live in an imperfect urban environment. Cycleways only get us so far (“On yer bike – but please share the footpath”, SMH, May 1, 2014).
The compromise of the shared pedestrian-cyclist pathway requires keen awareness and maintenance of mutual regard – beyond the mere ring of a bike bell. Mindful of pedestrians with particular sensitivities to strobe lighting, for example, cyclists are advised to use non-flashing lights at night.
And then there are those situations where a cycleway or shared path merges with or intersects a footpath. Ms Farrelly reminds us of the relevant law. “Riding on the footpath is illegal unless you have a child (under 12) in tow … The footpath is not cycle territory. Cyclists are not legal users.”
Ms Farrelly calls, rightly, for a minimal protocol in situations where a cyclist feels the need to seek the relative safety of a footpath. “Bikes will be tolerated on footpaths only where the road conditions are unsafe. Bikes must travel no faster than comfortable walking speed (say 5km/h) especially when overtaking pedestrians. They do not ‘tring’ peremptorily but hang back until passing is easy. They say thank you.”
With regard to the George Street cycleway in Redfern/Waterloo, however, the situation is particularly concerning. At Phillip Street and Raglan Street the cycleway meets Waterloo Green, a property owned by the NSW Land and Housing Corporation and home to residents of the Matavai and Turanga high-rise apartments. Residents of the adjacent buildings, Solander, Marton, Cook and Banks, also frequent the footpaths criss-crossing Waterloo Green.
As Ross Smith makes clear [see page 9], the Council cycleway does not continue within the bounds of Waterloo Green. It would be helpful if signage made this fact clearer, perhaps with the installation of “no cycling” signs at the entrance to Waterloo Green. Mr Smith also stresses that a great number of residents on the estate are elderly and/or mobility challenged. Matavai is designated for elderly public tenants.
Respectful cyclists will not ride their bikes across Waterloo Green. The appropriate and safe option entails dismounting at Phillip or Raglan Street and walking one’s bike to the point at which the cycleway recommences. It’s common sense, and common courtesy. It’s also the lawful option.
