Decision details

Moved by Councillor Miller, seconded by the Chair (the Lord Mayor) -

It is resolved that:

(A)       Council note:

(i)         Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is planning a Botany Road Bus Lane and McEvoy Street Intersection Upgrade, including a new southbound bus lane operating only during the AM peak period, a new dedicated right-turn lane from southbound Botany Road into McEvoy Street, road widening on Botany Road and new turn restrictions

(ii)        the proposed additional lanes come at the expense of green verges, footpaths and 16 street trees that would need to be removed or cut back. Footpaths and verges would be narrowed by up to 3.6 metres

(iii)       although the proposal includes a bus lane, it would operate for just 4 hours in a counter-peak direction, and the rest of the day it would add additional car and truck capacity to Botany Road

(iv)       increased road capacity in addition to a further degraded pedestrian environment will induce more traffic, while banning turning movements will result more in traffic using local streets

(v)        advocacy groups including REDWatch, Bicycle NSW, Bike Marrickville and WalkSydney have all spoken out in opposition to the proposal and written to the NSW Government expressing their concerns, as have many residents

(vi)       Transport for NSW advised that they do not need to consult the community or Council about this project but sought ‘feedback’ via their website in September 2026

(vii)      the proposal comes at a considerable cost of $22 million, which is equivalent to almost half of the annual Get NSW Active fund, for walking and cycling projects across NSW, for which Transport for NSW plan to start work in early 2027

(viii)    the proposal appears inconsistent with the principles of the NSW Government's own policies including:

(a)        the Future Transport Strategy, which prioritises investment in public transport, walking and cycling in high-density areas

(b)        the Movement and Place Framework that aims to create people-focused streets that balance movement with creating higher amenity places

(c)        the Interchange Access Plan (IAP) for Waterloo Metro Station, which is located 400 metres from the road widening, that states that “pedestrian networks in and around [Waterloo Metro] station must encourage walking” and highlights increased tree canopy as an opportunity and constrained footpaths on Botany Road a barrier

(d)        the Connecting NSW Strategy which supports investment in transport solutions that reimagine road space to reduce car dependency

(e)        the Net Zero Plan which supports non-build solutions before expanding road capacity

(f)         the Road User Space Allocation Policy, which requires consideration of walking before considering private vehicle travel

(B)       Council further note:

(i)         in September 2026, the Lord Mayor wrote to both the Minister for Roads and the Minister for Transport expressing serious concerns about the proposal and seeking a meeting about the project

(ii)        in this correspondence the Lord Mayor noted that previous Transport for NSW traffic forecasts used to justify major road widening projects in this area significantly overestimated future traffic growth, and that traffic volumes have decreased over the decade since those forecasts were prepared

(iii)       the Lord Mayor requested that Transport for NSW work collaboratively with the City and the community to identify transport solutions that improve movement outcomes without increasing traffic capacity or compromising residential amenity, public space, walking conditions and tree canopy

(C)       Council oppose the proposed Botany Road Bus Lane and McEvoy Street Intersection Upgrade in its current form

(D)       the Chief Executive Officer be requested to write to Transport for NSW to request a Council briefing on the project, including:

(i)         the evidence supporting the proposal

(ii)        the anticipated impacts on walking, cycling, bus travel, traffic and tree canopy

(iii)       community feedback received

(iv)       how the proposal aligns with relevant NSW Government transport and place-making policies.

Carried unanimously.

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