Shared Paths - Pyrmont Bridge Sydney

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/peak-hour-in-pyrmont-bike-lanes-for-the-bridge-20120530-1zi1j.html

I would like to say right at the start Shared Paths do work but they have there limitations. There are many shared paths in Brisbane that work completely fine but they have some defining features that make them work.

Features That make a shared Path work in my opinion

• a daily usage somewhere below 4000 movements a day
• a path where it is not generally wider then 4 meters
• low tourist numbers
• clear understanding of keep left rule
• equal split between bicycles and pedestrians

While I will in the future talk about Brisbane shared paths a Shared Path that does not work in my mind is in Sydney. This Path is the Pyrmont Bridge. This bridge was a turned over to pedestrian and bicycle usage many years ago. The main problem I see with it is that it breaks all 5 points I list above.

• there is well over 4000 movements a day
• the bridge is well over 12 metres wide
• there are tourists wondering everywhere not really aware of there surroundings
• NO ONE keeps left
• the is not a equal split

This results in chaos with everyone ducking about. Every time I go down to Sydney I am amazed at how crazy it is across that bridge. I have turned to my other half over and over and said "this bridge needs a bike lane".

Now I am no friend of the Pedestrian Council of Australia, and like many Australians that ride bikes have no time for them or there head. That said I have to agree with them calling for a bike lane across the Pyrmont Bridge. A bike lane makes scene because it will allocate space to each group just like it does on the Bicentennial Bikeway is Brisbane. Personally I don't think the ped council is calling for this to make life easier for cyclists and pedestrians, I think they have admitted partial defeat with there calls to have shared spaces removed. Lets face it they did not have much chance on the Pyrmont Bridge with over 2000 bicycle movements a day.

See video below