Cooks River Issues

• Introduction
• Participants
• Improvements related to the whole cycleway
• Capital improvements
• Maintenance
• Link the Cook River Cycleway to Bankstown CBD

Introduction

Participants

Rolf Muller (Baybug) Colleen (Baybug) Matt Perdeck (BurstBug) Chris Virtue (Indep.) Paul Wijngaarden (Baybug) Garry Lennan (BurstBug) Frouke de Reuver (Burstbug) Jan Stubbing (Burstbug) Andrew Osborne (Burstbug)

Paul Johnson (Bike SW) Warren Artlett (Bike SW) John Higgs (Bike SW) Con Kandrick (Bike North) Pam Kandrick (Bike North) Helen Middleton (Bike North) Eric Middleton (Bike North) John Kyriazis (Bike SW)

Improvements related to the whole cycleway

1. Lights - Have solar powered lights along the cycleway, such as those already operated along Burwood's stretch (photo).

   The lights will improve safety, by making it easier for cyclists to see pedestrians and potholes, and the track itself. They will also improve perceived safety, enabling people who wouldn't go out in the dark to use the cycleway.

2. Signage - Where the cycleway touches a street, have a sign saying which street and suburb you are at.

   This makes it much easier to use the cycleway as a means of getting from A to B, in addition to being a purely recreational facility.

3. "You are here" signs - Along the cycleway are attractive maps of the cycleway. Unfortunately, they do not show where you are on the map (photo).

   "You are here" signs on the maps, combined with street name signs, would make it easier to use the cycleway as a means of getting from A to B.

4. Safer road crossings - Speed bumps and signs warning motorists of crossing cyclists should be installed to improve safety at these locations:
   • Crossing with Wardell Road at Beaman Park (Canterbury) - to slow down cars approaching too fast (photo 1, photo 2).

   • Charles Street (Canterbury), just south of the railway bridge - to slow down cars coming down a blind corner where cyclists cross the street.

   • Maria Street (Strathfield), at western end of South End tennis courts - to slow down cars coming down a blind corner where cyclists cross the street.

5. Prevent parked cars blocking the cycleway. The cycleway goes through a number of car parks. Measures should be taken to stop people from blocking the cycleway by parking their car where the cycleway hits the car park.
   • Western end of car park at Steel Park (Marrickville).
   • South End tennis courts car park (Strathfield) - photo 1, photo 2.

6. Widen cycleway to the width specified in the RTA document "NSW bicycle guidelines":
   • Between Tempe Railway Station and railway underpass (Tempe) - photo.

   • Gough Whitlam Park, close to Tempe Railway Station (Canterbury) - photo 1, photo 2. Also remove dangerous barrier.

   • Steel Park (Marrickville).

   • Along Canterbury racecourse (Canterbury) - photo 1, photo 2.

Capital improvements

1. Underpass under the railway just south of Tempe Station (Tempe) - this is very low, the caution sign has been vandalised, and there is no lighting. Also suffers flooding (photo 1, photo 2, photo 3).

2. Underpass at Canterbury Road (Canterbury) - needs to be widened and made deeper (photo 1, photo 2).

3. Blind corner near Canterbury racecourse (Canterbury) - photo.

4. Bridge at end of Lang Street (Canterbury) - change ramps to make it easier for cyclists to get up the bridge (photo).

5. Change buildings at eastern end of Croydon Park (Canterbury) - fix gravel section plus put in some cycle signage warning people parking their cars that they are actually using a cycleway (photo).

Maintenance

1. Along Mackey Park (Marrickville) - broken concrete. Would be good to have white dividing line on the cycleway.

2. Footpath under sewerage bridge (Marrickville) - hole besides footpath needs filled (photo).

3. Eastern end of Steel Park - broken path (photo).

4. Just west of the bridge near Foord Avenue, northern bank - grass getting on cycleway, reducing usable surface from 3m to 2.5m. Could be removed with edger machine (photo).

5. Where cycleway hits Charles Street, just south of railway bridge - move bollard.

6. Next to Canterbury racecourse (Canterbury) - fix root damage to cycleway caused by casarinas. Replace tar surface by concrete (photo).

7. Walsh Avenue (Burwood) - paint bike lanes on the road, seeing that this is part of the cycleway.

Link the Cook River Cycleway to Bankstown CBD

This bike lane will not only make the Cooks River Cycleway accessible to people living in Bankstown, but also Sydney Olympic Park, Centennial Park and the Parramatta River foreshore.