FAQs
Why does the project methodology not prioritise my area?
The North Sydney Walking Action Plan methodology prioritises locations where walking investment will have maximum impact both in terms of improving strategic North Sydney walking networks and improving walking access in the vicinity of centres and local trip attractors such as parks, schools and community facilities. This methodology is intended to prioritise locations where improvements will benefit the maximum number of residents.
Will the Strategy be regularly updated and implementation monitored?
Targets adopted in the Walking Strategy will be put forward for inclusion in the Community Strategic Plan. Monitoring of Community Strategic Plan targets is completed as part of an annual report to Council. Walking Strategy updates are dependent on competing organisational and transport planning priorities and workloads.
How will North Sydney make major roads like Pacific Highway and Military Road a less hostile environment for walkers?
Council will undertake project development and prepare preliminary plans for these state arterial roads and advocate for implementation by TfNSW as the state road authority. Council has successfully advocated for walking improvements in this way in both the North Sydney CBD and on Military Road as part of TfNSW’s North Sydney Integrated Transport Program and B-Line projects.
Will State Government agencies and others be required to give due regard to this plan in their projects?
There is no statutory requirement for TfNSW to approve or deliver walking projects on state arterial roads even where they address locations identified in the North Sydney Walking Strategy. However, identifying priority locations for intervention and then developing preliminary plans to show how these locations/problems might be addressed does increase Council’s chances of successfully advocating for pedestrian safety and amenity improvements on state arterial roads and as part of major projects.
Why hasn’t North Sydney prepared strategies around the pressing concerns of traffic congestion and car parking?
The North Sydney Transport Strategy established a transport mode hierarchy that identified walkers as the highest priority road user group. This is why the North Sydney Walking Strategy has been developed as Council’s first priority.
Work is also currently being undertaken to establish a principles-based methodology that will form the framework for the development of a North Sydney Parking & Traffic Strategy. The Parking & Traffic Strategy methodology will give consideration to the modal hierarchy identified in the North Sydney Transport Strategy and ensure that residents and visitors are provided with more equitable access to on-street parking while, at the same time, ensuring that local traffic generation and the cost of negative externalities borne by the North Sydney community are minimized.
How will the Strategy achieve a balance with the need for increased cycle infrastructure sometimes competing with the same routes?
Commentary from the draft North Sydney Walking Strategy shows that, although the actual road safety impact of pedestrian/cyclist shared spaces are minimal compared to pedestrian/cyclist/traffic interactions, perceptions of safety and pedestrian and cyclist amenity are both negatively impacted by shared walking and cycling facilities. Wherever possible , equivalent separated walking and cycling facilities should be delivered before removing an existing shared path designation.