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Outdoor dining areas, wider footpaths and more trees will be added to the next stage of the Oxford Street cycleway, as the NSW government attempts to win over critics of the contentious bike path.
New concept images have provided a glimpse of what the 1.8 kilometre bike path linking Centennial Park to Taylor Square could look like once open to cyclists.
The second stage of the cycleway will feature public artworks, 50 new trees, additional lighting, seating and five additional pedestrian crossings.
As it finalises plans for the second stage of the cycleway, the state government is also set to splash $3 million on a street “activation fund” that will be used to support businesses impacted by construction works.
The funding pledge comes after public feedback on the second stage of the cycleway showed the community was bitterly divided over the project.
Of the 2300 responses received by Transport for NSW during public consultation, 51 per cent were opposed, with 42 per cent in support and 7 per cent neutral.
Critics of the project included The Paddington Society, which flagged concerns over lost carparking spaces and argued the cycleway would “impose a permanent physical barrier” along the street, discouraging the movement of pedestrians.
Dissatisfied residents have also launched legal action against the state government and council over the cycleway, citing safety risks posed by the so-called “island” bus stops on the route.
But not everyone is opposed. Oxford Street business owner Simon Fowler, who runs Simon Says Juice, said the cycleway could bring more visitors to the area and make it easier for food delivery drivers to traverse the congested thoroughfare.
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A construction date has yet to be confirmed for the second stage of the cycleway, which was first announced back in 2021.
According to the NSW Government, around 3000 cyclists are now travelling along the first stage of the cycleway from Taylor Square to Hyde Park each day, making it the busiest cycleway in Sydney, ahead of the Harbour Bridge crossing.
NSW Transport Minister John Graham said the next stage of the cycleway would transform a stretch of Oxford Street he described as “well overdue for a makeover”.
“The popularity of the western section of separated cycleway makes this section a missing link from Taylor Square to Centennial Park and on to the eastern suburbs,” he said.
“This area is beloved by the local community, and we want it to be a precinct that’s not just for locals but encourages more visitors too – especially the tens of thousands of people who head to events at the SCG, Moore Park and Centennial Park each year.”
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