North Brisbane Bikeway Archives

Community Calls for Review of North Brisbane Bikeway Stage 5

Residents in Clayfield are voicing their concerns over the proposed design and route for Stage 5 of the North Brisbane Bikeway, which aims to connect Price Street to Kedron Brook.

Read: Locals Have Mixed Reactions To Stage 5 Of North Brisbane Bikeway

The bikeway, located between Dickson Street, Wooloowin and the Kedron Brook Bikeway, is supposed to complete the “final link” between North Brisbane Bikeway and extend its route for a high-quality, active travel facility.

North Brisbane Bikeway – Price Street to Kedron Brook Plans (Photo credit: Brisbane City Council)

Currently in the community engagement phase, the project was the subject of two e-petitions submitted to Council recently, highlighting the community’s divided opinions on the project.

A Clayfield resident has petitioned the Council not to proceed with Stage 5, citing concerns about the impact on local businesses and parking. The e-petition states, “There are 37 affected businesses and entitled parking will be withdrawn. There is a better route available and overall the project is not in the interest of most folk and not for the common good.”

Another petition, which has garnered over 500 signatures, calls for a comprehensive review of all potential routes for Stage 5. The Clayfield local highlighted the need to consider a “safer, shorter route that connects Kedron State High School and northern suburbs with the North Brisbane Bikeway at Price St.”

It also raises concerns about the “Better for Children Cycling” program, commuter parking, traffic congestion, and impacts on residents and local businesses.

The Council has announced plans to conduct two community working group meetings in the coming months, with updates to be provided to the broader community afterward. The project’s future, including any construction plans, will depend on upcoming funding allocations.

Read: Dickson Street Ranked One of Brisbane’s Most Dangerous for Cyclists

Meanwhile, residents have until 5 November 2024 to show their support for the two e-petitions.

Published 4-September-2024

Dickson Street Ranked One of Brisbane’s Most Dangerous for Cyclists

Dickson Street in Wooloowin has been identified as one of the 10 most dangerous spots in Brisbane for cyclists, according to newly released data from the cycling safety app BikeSpot.

Read: Local Community Is Split Over Proposed Wooloowin Street Development

BikeSpot’s 2023 Interim Safety Report, released last week, ranked Dickson Street as the number 3 unsafe area for Brisbane cyclists due to a lack of bike lanes and a missing link with the North Brisbane Bikeway.

One BikeSpot user reported that riding south on Dickson Street was the “most dangerous section they have rode so far” because the North Brisbane Bikeway abruptly ends at Price Street, leaving cyclists to traverse Dickson Street without a bike lane.

“Bike lane ends, forcing bikes onto road or path,” one cyclist said. Others commented that there are lots of parked cars on the street.

Other cyclists agreed, saying the short section of the North Brisbane Bikeway is incomplete and leaves them feeling vulnerable when transitioning to Dickson Street.

Cancelled Project

The Brisbane City Council has announced the cancellation of several key cycling infrastructure projects, including the North Brisbane Bikeway extension, due to the devastating floods in South East Queensland in February 2022.

According to the council’s website, proposed plans to create a dedicated and separated bikeway along Dickson Street and Bonney Avenue, connecting stage four of the North Brisbane Bikeway to Junction Road, will no longer go ahead.

Funding has also been pulled from a project to build a “green street” with shared, low-speed active travel routes for cyclists and pedestrians along Keith Street, Sydney Street and Jackson Street.

The council said it made the difficult decision to redirect resources and prioritise the rebuilding and repair of roads, bridges, existing bikeways, parks and sports facilities across Brisbane that were damaged by February 2022’s catastrophic flooding.

“While the proposed project is not proceeding, Council is committed to working with the Department of Transport and Main Roads on the broader North Brisbane Bikeway network and future active transport connections in this area,” Council stated.

Read: Greville Wooloowin, Other Developments That Were Abandoned in 2022 Due to Construction Crisis

Cycling advocacy groups have expressed disappointment over the cancellations, saying the projects would have greatly improved safety and connectivity for Brisbane cyclists. However, the repairs from the destructive floods have been deemed a priority by local officials.

Published 22-December-2023

Locals Have Mixed Reactions To Stage 5 Of North Brisbane Bikeway

The proposed extension of the popular North Brisbane Bikeway from Price Street to Kedron Brook has been met with mixed reactions from residents.

Read: Clayfield: Revisiting the Historical Places That Made This Suburb Great

Bicycle user groups, such as the Brisbane North Bicycle Users Group have welcomed the proposal for the safety of cyclists, stating that any other route would cause more disruption.

Aside from expressing their support for the Stage 5 of North Brisbane Bikeway, they also suggested that Brisbane City Council consider the All the Way to EJ bikeway if they want a quick win now. The said bikeway will finish a safe 40 kilometre route from the centre of Brisbane out to Redcliffe.

“All the Way to EJ is the most direct and simple route for a bikeway from Wooloowin to Clayfield, and will be cheaper than any indirect alternative routes,” Brisbane North BUG stated.

Whilst cyclists welcomed the project, local residents and businesses are worried that the extension of the bikeway could cause more congestion and affect establishments in the area.

The project, located between Dickson Street, Wooloowin and Jackson St, Clayfield, has received over 1,000 submissions, including more than 800 online surveys.

This includes opposition from businesses along Dickson St, where Brisbane City Council has proposed two different crossing options that will connect the bikeway with a new crossing along Junction Rd/Keith St.

In late 2021, Sydney St homeowner Mal Peters organised a petition sponsored by Member for Clayfield, Tim Nicholls MP.

Petitioners complained about the lack of community consultation for the preferred route and have requested the State Government to investigate alternative routes for Stage 5 of the bikeway.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey responded to the petition, saying that although stages 1 to 4 of the North Brisbane Bikeway is designed and funded by the Queensland Government, stage 5 is the responsibility of Brisbane City Council.

Councillor for Chandler Ward Ryan Murphy, who’s also Civic Cabinet Chair for Transport at BCC, said they are already assessing the feedback received during the consultation period.

Cr Murphy assured that they will consider all the feedback from locals and businesses and will provide an update once the assessment is done.