East-west bikeway through Adelaide city centre rejected by councillors after four years of debate in 2021

The proposed east-west bikeway route through Adelaide city centre rejected by city councillors in 2021. The lighter blue lines signify other bikeways in the city.
Map courtesy Adelaide City Council

Adelaide City Council ended four years of debate by voting in 2021 against installing a separated east-west bikeway across the city centre along Franklin Street, Gawler Place and Wakefield Street, linking with the Frome Street north-south bikeway on the eastern side.

The 8-3 vote meant the council missed out on $3 million in state government funding towards the $5.8 million project. The council had previously agreed to build the bikeway along Flinders and Franklin streets but that route attracted opposition and legal threats from ratepayers along the route, concerned about the loss of car parking and pedestrian safety.

The council compromised in November 2020 by moving the bikeway along Wakefield Street, through Gawler Place and then onto Franklin Street, despite the council’s transport planners preferring the Flinders-Franklin option. The tight deadline to meet government funding led to a shorter consultation that upset businesses and the Greek Orthodox community with its church and a bingo hall on Franklin Street. Both groups were worried about losing parking spaces.

Councillors opposing the bikeway argued it would risk pedestrian safety and the council had not spent enough time consulting ratepayers. The council decision came after lawyer Greg Griffin wrote to the council on behalf of businesses opposed to the bike lane. He said the population of Adelaide was primarily suburban, meaning it was “very different” to European cities, such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen, renowned for their bike paths.

Griffin pointed out the bikeway proposal would cost the council between $580,000 to $780,000 a year in lost car parking revenue. (Adelaide city council promoted November 2020 as drivers’ month to encourage shoppers back to the city centre after a fall in visitors during coronavirus restrictions in autumn and winter.)

The east-west bikeway had broad support from interest groups, including the RAA and Bike Adelaide, whose chairperson Katie Gilfillan said the council’s decision was “gobsmacking”. The council’s own public consultation found 70% of respondents supported building a bikeway along the route.