Your Say on South Bank's Bikeway and Streetscape Draft Design

27 May 2024

The community is invited to have their say on the preliminary design for South Bank’s Grey Street Bikeway and Streetscape project.

Consultation commences on 27 May 2024 and will be open until 23 June 2024.

South Bank Corporation Chief Executive Officer Bill Delves said the main objective of the project was to create Australia’s coolest and most vibrant sub-tropical street that is rideable, walkable and welcoming.

“The project supports the long-term vision idea from the Future South Bank Master Plan for Grey Street to slow down and calm traffic, make walking, scootering and riding a bike more attractive and safer, and create a vibrant, ‘cool’ and green street,” he said.

“The key focus of the design is a bi-directional bikeway, safe for all ages and abilities that would be protected from traffic and separated from pedestrians.

“Grey Street has a poor safety record for people riding bikes with only one per cent of trips on Grey Street by bike but 24 per cent of reported crashes involving people on bikes and 32 per cent of crashes involving pedestrians.”

Mr Delves said the design provided double the amount of space for walking and riding with increased opportunities for shade, making the street concept cool, comfortable, appealing and accessible for all.

“The initiative’s design will offer an alternative route to South Bank’s Clem Jones Promenade which will help to address the conflict between pedestrians, people riding bikes, and e-scooters, which is only expected to grow with the increasing population in the surrounding suburbs.”

Other features of the design include the introduction of parking, loading and landscaping integrated in 'flex zones' on kerbs, replacement of the Ernest Street roundabout with a raised intersection that gives priority to pedestrians, and the installation of raised zebra crossings to improve safety.

“Two-way vehicle access on the street will be maintained and access to all driveways and loading docks will also be protected.”

Mr Delves said the draft design reflects feedback and priorities gathered from targeted engagement with a diverse range of precinct stakeholders in early 2023 as well as feedback gathered from the community about Grey Street during consultation for the Future South Bank Master Plan in late 2022.

“What we heard from the community was that safety for people walking along Grey Street is the top priority, and people riding bikes do not feel safe riding on the narrow bike lanes on the street.”

Mr Delves said that as part of improving pedestrian and cyclist safety for people walking and riding, the design proposes reducing the speed limit on the street to 30 km per hour.

“Research tells us that reducing speed limits makes shopping precincts and main streets safer and more attractive to pedestrians, bike riders and public transport users and adds value to the local economy[1].”

Mr Delves said the design would double the amount of space on the street for people to walk, ride, dine, meet or just rest. “This will not only improve safety but also create exciting opportunities for pop ups, festivals, leisure and play.”

He said that while some trees would need to be removed during construction, each tree removed would be replaced with more than two new trees planted as part of the streetscape project. Overall, the design results in one third more trees on the street, and more than double the amount of green space in an effort to turn Grey Street green.

Information sessions will be held at South Bank Parklands in the coming weeks and the community can have their say on the draft preliminary design online from 27 May to 23 June 2024. Visit South Bank Corporation website for details.

The Grey Street Bikeway and Streetscape Preliminary Design is being delivered by South Bank Corporation and is supported by the Queensland Government’s Cycle Network Local Government Grants Program.

Mr Delves said that the project is currently only committed at the preliminary design stage.

“Advancing the initiative to detailed design and implementation is still to be confirmed and will be subject to subsequent South Bank Corporation and Queensland Government considerations and funding.”

Media enquiries:

Email: media@south-bank.net.au