Contents
Background:
BCC officers are currently preparing a report for Council's consideration regarding the current arrangements which prohibit on street parking along Waminda Street. The prepartion of this report has be initiated as a result of a complaint being made by 2 residents in Waminda Street concerning the lack of on street parking outside their homes. Parking restrictions where implemented to facilitate dedicated bicycle lanes as part of Council's corridor improvement program for Waminda Street following support from local residents, cyclists and the local councillor - Shayne Sutton.
Waminda Street is on the SEQ Principal Cycle Network Plan and is a major cross route connector between Old Cleveland Road and Wynnum Road for commuter, sports and recreational cyclists alike.
Any decision to allow on street parking along Waminda Street will render the dedicated bike lanes useless if they are retained as you can legally park in a bike lane in Queensland unless otherwise signed. The reinstatement of the BAZ in this situation will significantly reduce the attractiveness and safety of this route for cyclists as Waminda Street is designated as a district collector road and has a posted speed limit of 60km/h. Refer to the Google Street View images below that see what it was like before bike lanes and restricted parking where instituted by BCC.
EaST BUG and local residents in Waminda Street are currently collecting signatures to demonstrate to BCC that there is significant support for these bikelanes and the associated parking restrictions.
Media:
Seeing Red over Yellow Lines - SE Advertiser - 14 January 2009.pdf
Letters to the Editor:
Line a Lifesaver- 21 Jan 09.pdf
The letter "Lines don't help parking problem - link below is in response to the Letter "Line is a Lifesaver" - link above.
Unfortunately the debate continues to be misinformed as the Yellow Lines which prevent parking where used to allow the bike lanes to be installed and not have cars obstructing the lanes.
Lines Don't Help Parking Problem - SE Advertiser - 4 February 2009.pdf
The SE Advertiser has still not published the letter below or other letters that we are aware of from residents in Waminda Street in support of the Bike Lanes.
This letter was never published by the SE Advertiser
On The Wrong Track ( Submitted to the SE Advertiser on the 19 January 2009 by Peter Berkeley)
The article – Seeing Red over Yellow Lines in last weeks SE Advertiser was seriously flawed in its reporting. At the outset in the first paragraph, the article states that there was "almost no consultation". This is not true as Council letter box dropped all affected residences in Waminda Street with a copy of the plans of what was being proposed with the opportunity to comment. A lack of a formal response by residents does not infer that there was no consultation.
In the second paragraph the story indicates that on street parking was removed to prevent commuters accessing the Morningside Railway Station from parking on Waminda Street. Again this is not true – parking was restricted to allow dedicated bicycle lanes to be installed on Waminda Street.
The article also goes on to say that Cr Shayne Sutton is to blame for allowing parking restrictions based on the feedback of 4 residents. I like many of my neighbours in Waminda Street actively support the restricted parking and the provision of dedicated bicycle lanes that it allows and we have conveyed this to Cr Sutton. Rather than be criticised I think Cr Sutton should be congratulated for daring to show a bit of leadership. If Council was going to change anything in Waminda Street they should think about lowering the speed limit to 40km per hour to try and curb the ridiculous speeds that cars are propelled along this street by their drivers.
I was exasperated by the end of the article after reading Paul Davies comments about it being hard to get a car park nearby given that there is a 180 car spaces directly across the street at the railway station, not to mention his concerns about visitors having to walk 150 metres. In this day and age when all we hear about is the health crisis in Queensland - which stems in many ways from people not getting enough exercise, I can't believe that anyone could complain about having to walk a measly 150 meters to get somewhere. If this is the thinking in our community what hope have we got.
Help Needed:
If you would like to assist with this campaign you can:
- Write a letter to the editor of the South East Advertiser at letters@southeastadvertiser.com.au
- Collect signatures for the petition by printing off a copy of the petition below and start engaging your fellow cyclists. Petitions will need to be returned to EaST BUG by Friday the 6 February 2009. Please contact Peter Berkeley on 0407 177 337 to organise the pickup of your petitions before this date as we will be sending them to the Lord Mayor Cr Campbell Newman and Morningside Ward Councillor Shane Sutton before the next Council meeting in early February 2009.
- Sign the online petition at: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/WamindaStBikeLanes/index.html and make sure you forward it on to anyone you think would have an interest in this issue.
Commenced collecting signatures on Saturday 18 Jan 2009.
Waminda_Street_Bike_Lanes[1].doc
StreetView Images:
Waminda Street looking towards Jack Flynn Memorial Drive prior to bikelanes being installed:
View Larger Map
Waminda St Horsington St towards Jack Flynn Mem Dve- Google Maps.pdf
Waminda Street looking towards Richmond Rd prior to bikelanes being installed:
View Larger Map
Waminda St Horsington St towards Richmond - Google Maps.pdf
Outcome:
Stand by we are still working on it - but if the community response to date is anything to go by the Council will have some serious deliberating to do :)
Update - May 2009
Brisbane City Council have considered the issue and the decision is in... the bike lanes stay. For Councils full response refer to the link below.
We would like to thank everyone that made the effort to sign the petition and support this campaign.
image-6170746-0001.pdf
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