Artist impression © Inner West Council After months of submissions, speeches, and showing up — the Lilyfield Road Cycleway has been approved. Inner West Council voted last night to formally adopt the recommendations of the Local Transport Forum, and the project now moves into detailed design. Construction is expected to start in early 2027/28.
This is a big deal. The Lilyfield Road Cycleway fills one of the most frustrating gaps in the Inner West cycling network — a steep, bus-and-truck-filled road that has kept all but the most confident riders off what should be a key connection between the GreenWay/Bay Run, Rozelle Parklands, and the Sydney CBD. That gap is finally being closed.
The approved design includes a separated two-way cycleway along the full length of Lilyfield Road from Maliyawul Street to Victoria Road, with raised crossings, kerb buildouts, speed cushions, a new roundabout at Denison Street, and a net gain of 47 parking spaces thanks to new angle parking along the Rozelle Parklands frontage. Watch or rather listen to last night's speakers from Bike Marrickville and other groups at the Council Meeting.
Trees and verges protected
The approval didn't just rubber-stamp the original recommendation — it came with important amendments that strengthened the project, moved by Councillor Kerrie Fergusson (Labor, Balmain) and Councillor Ismet Tastan (Greens, Balmain).
On the steep western section, the minutes now formally confirm that the cycleway will be at least 2.8 metres wide — correcting an error in the agenda documents that had suggested a narrower 2.4 metre path. Advocates from Bike Marrickville, AshBUG, Bike Leichhardt and GreenWay all raised this at the Local Transport Forum last month, and it landed.
On the slip lane at Mary Street, Council committed to advocating to Transport for NSW — which controls traffic signals in NSW — to maximise intersection efficiency as the project progresses. Residents' concerns about traffic impacts were heard, and their petition will be formally referred to TfNSW for consideration.
And on trees: Council has guaranteed that existing trees and grass verges will be protected wherever feasible. If any do need to be removed, they will be replaced with mature specimens in the immediate vicinity.
What happens next
Detailed design is funded and planned for 2026/27. Construction funding will be sought through the TfNSW Get Active Program, with works expected to commence early 2027/28.
Bike Marrickville will stay engaged through the detailed design phase — there are still opportunities to push for the best possible outcome on width, crossings, and connections. Watch this space.
This is a big deal. The Lilyfield Road Cycleway fills one of the most frustrating gaps in the Inner West cycling network — a steep, bus-and-truck-filled road that has kept all but the most confident riders off what should be a key connection between the GreenWay/Bay Run, Rozelle Parklands, and the Sydney CBD. That gap is finally being closed.
The approved design includes a separated two-way cycleway along the full length of Lilyfield Road from Maliyawul Street to Victoria Road, with raised crossings, kerb buildouts, speed cushions, a new roundabout at Denison Street, and a net gain of 47 parking spaces thanks to new angle parking along the Rozelle Parklands frontage. Watch or rather listen to last night's speakers from Bike Marrickville and other groups at the Council Meeting.
Trees and verges protected
The approval didn't just rubber-stamp the original recommendation — it came with important amendments that strengthened the project, moved by Councillor Kerrie Fergusson (Labor, Balmain) and Councillor Ismet Tastan (Greens, Balmain).
On the steep western section, the minutes now formally confirm that the cycleway will be at least 2.8 metres wide — correcting an error in the agenda documents that had suggested a narrower 2.4 metre path. Advocates from Bike Marrickville, AshBUG, Bike Leichhardt and GreenWay all raised this at the Local Transport Forum last month, and it landed.
On the slip lane at Mary Street, Council committed to advocating to Transport for NSW — which controls traffic signals in NSW — to maximise intersection efficiency as the project progresses. Residents' concerns about traffic impacts were heard, and their petition will be formally referred to TfNSW for consideration.
And on trees: Council has guaranteed that existing trees and grass verges will be protected wherever feasible. If any do need to be removed, they will be replaced with mature specimens in the immediate vicinity.
What happens next
Detailed design is funded and planned for 2026/27. Construction funding will be sought through the TfNSW Get Active Program, with works expected to commence early 2027/28.
Bike Marrickville will stay engaged through the detailed design phase — there are still opportunities to push for the best possible outcome on width, crossings, and connections. Watch this space.
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