Sydney bike lane crashed over safety concerns despite spending $300,000

Stokes said the Paddington Greenway project could have changed the way people get around in Sydney’s eastern suburbs by creating a safe route for parents and students to walk and cycle.

“One of the greatest dangers facing our children is the increasingly sedentary lifestyles they lead, and any action that encourages them to exercise will have tremendous long-term benefits,” he said.

Kate Purbrick was among several Paddington residents who raised concerns about the project at a council meeting, calling it a waste of money that would save just a few minutes on journeys.

Purbrick said the elevated path would allow pedestrians and cyclists to see over their back fence.

“I was concerned that the greenway would allow people to look directly into my backyard and main living area,” she said.

Sydney Grammar’s principal, Richard Malpass, said the school had been trying to reach an agreement with council that would include using the school’s land without jeopardizing the safety of the children.

“While child safety is, and always will be, our top priority, issues such as the size of the structure on the valley floor, light scatter and impact on sports fields were among the issues brought to the council as specific concerns in their previous proposals,” he said called.

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Hakoah security experts said the project had “increased the incidence of criminal and antisocial behavior … beyond current near-zero levels.”

Malpass said a new route for the greenway was rejected by Woollahra councilors after residents raised concerns about privacy and security.

Woollahra Councilwoman Harriet Price, who voted to scrap the project, said the alternative route had “destroyed much of the original Greenway vision”.

“Nor was I convinced that the alternative route would be more palatable to residents of the Hakoah Club, Sydney Grammar or Walker Street – making it difficult to justify further significant public funding for the project,” she said.

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