The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Ferry Hub at Barangaroo is on exhibition. The EIS tentatively suggests cycling links to the ferry stop but they are far from defined or guaranteed.

Despite the fine gestures in its Sydney’s Cycling Future vision to include cycling links within Barangaroo, the State Government is again leaving the door open to later ignoring cycling.

This continues the pattern of overlooking readily-achievable cycling outcomes in projects such as the recent Museum Station Upgrade, WestConnex and the “part time” Castlereagh St Cycleway which astoundingly, will now be shared with truck loading zones.

The exhibition is open to public comment until Monday 9th February and you can help show the possibilities cycling would bring to Barangaroo.

You can read BIKESydney’s submission to the EIS here (pdf download).

What to do:

Go to the Project’s website, and make an online submission using the comments box. Select ‘personal submission’.

Main points to make:

Say whether you ride in the CBD or would like to and whether you are resident or worker;

Say whether you support or oppose the principle of including a Ferry Hub in Barangaroo. (BIKESydney supports it.)

Then call for the Proposal to:

1. explicitly spell out the strategies that it will adopt to encourage cycling as a transport and commuter option;

2. adopt the principle to provide safe, connected cycling links that eliminate conflict with pedestrians and motorised traffic;

3. assess cycling catchments and “desire lines” to the Ferry Hub, as has been done for pedestrians. The desire line between the Harbour Bridge cycleway and Barangaroo’s northern entrance via Watson Rd, Argyle Pl and Dalgety Rd should be addressed explictly;

4. explicitly identify cycling links to the Ferry Hub (rather than leave them inferred);

5. quantify the demand for bicycle parking at the Ferry Hub;

6. provide ample, convenient, secure bike parking;

7. provide signalised cycling crossings at intersections into and out of Barangaroo;

8. ensure that all parts of the foreshore path are rideable without conflict;

9. ensure that construction trucking movements do not impact riders on the Hickson Rd cycleway;

10. include Bicycle NSW and BIKESydney in the detailed design consultation.

The benefits would include:

Creation of a direct, efficient, fast autonomous travel choice;

Increased ferry service patronage;

Trip origin-side decongestion benefits (reduce car “drop offs”);

Reduction of private vehicle use and releasing seats on buses and trains (“mode-shifting”);

Increasing origin-side ferry patronage catchments;

Health benefits (poor health is one of the State’s greatest cost burdens).

About the proposal

The Barangaroo Ferry Hub proposal incorporates the construction and operation of three new ferry wharves immediately north of King Street Wharf on the harbour side boundary of Barangaroo South.

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is the proponent for the proposal, while the final asset would be owned by the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS). Ferry services would be operated by Sydney Ferries.

The Barangaroo precinct is expected to accommodate up to 23,000 office workers, include a residential community of about 2,500 people and attract up to 33,000 visitors per day when complete.

Nearby Projects and facilities relevant to cycling

Although subject to different approvals, the Ferry Hub proposal would sit in close proximity to the following existing or developing projects:

The Barangaroo Cycleway network (although only inferred in the EIS documentation);

The CBD Cycleway network, including existing and future riding facilities on Hickson Road, Watson, Dalgety and a separated cycleway on Napoleon St

The public domain of Darling Harbour, in which cycling is permitted;

A future separated cycleway on Napoleon Street (subject to detailed design and traffic assessment);

Enhanced pedestrian infrastructure, eg, Wynyard Walk, City Walk, Union Walk, Transport Place;

a new internal road, Globe St, connecting the foreshore to Hickson Rd, and

the Barangaroo foreshore shared path.

Other ideas you might like to consider

Barangaroo will draw a large number of people to the city’s western edge. BIKESydney members put their heads together to suggest other ways that bicycles could re-invent and benefit the city. You might find inspiration here for your own letter to the Editor or “water cooler” chat in the office:

Cargo bikes (conventional and electrified) could be used for deliveries of small hotel supplies;

Hotels should be encouraged to offer a bike hire scheme for their guests (as already deployed at the Hilton Hotel);

Incentive programs should be offered to commercial tenants of Barangaroo to deploy bike fleets (including cargo bikes) for the use of staff for short, daytime city trips;

The existing CBD velo-taxi service could be extended to Barangaroo to serve both office workers, after-work revelers and city tourists;

There is no other form of transport that can get from the city centre to Barangaroo faster and cheaper than a bicycle.

And with thanks to Kerry, visions of what we’d like to see more of at Barangaroo…