NSW has a distinction between tram lanes and tramways. Cyclists are allowed in tram lanes (under rule 158) but not tramways.
Tramways are designated by a Tram only sign which is are the signs used for George Street (in some parts - see https://opentrafficsignmap.jakecoppinger.com/). This indicates these sections of George St are off limits for cyclists (unless dismounted).
Hay St West of Sussex St has a single line deliniation which means it is legal to cycle one, but however has a "No Entry" sign at the western entrance. It is unclear whether this "No Entry" sign applies as bicycles can access the light rail corridor from the side of thr track using the traffic lights (with bicycle lantern) at Darling Drive.
Shared paths only end at an end shared path sign (or road crossing) and dont require a blue line, meaning the shared paths leading to Darling Park 'flood fill' all footpaths down to Hay St (up to the zebra crossing at Harbour St). (this also has the effect of several footparhs in CoS being legal for bicycles due to no end shared path sign present.)
- Does the no entry sign at the western entrance of Hay St (Darling Drive) override the single white line marking Hay St as a tram lane?
- Or does the entrance to the side of the tramway allow entrance to bicycles but not to cars?
- See photo at https://www.mapillary.com/app/user/jakecopp?lat=-33.879155786110026&lng=151.20119415593&z=17&pKey=367605089115455&focus=photo
- Does the designated cycle route sign at Hay St & Pitt St have any legal sway over the no entry sign?
- Do light rail platforms count as a "a structure (for example, a dividing strip, pedestrian refuge, traffic island, row of bollards or separation kerb), whether or not the structure is also being used to indicate a safety zone" which designates the way as a tram way
- If so, bicycles are not allowed to cycle through light rail stations even if the rest of the street is a tram lane
- There isn't any no entry signs at York & George St (northbound) Does this mean it is legal to cycle along George St from York to Barrack St/Martin Place as there isn't a double line marked or any structure next to the track?
- ...or through to Hunter St/Market St/Grosvenor St if platforms are legal to cycle past depending on above question
- I note there are some no Left/Right turns for the adjacent road marked, but if a bicycle isn't coming from this road these can't apply
- There isn't a no entry sign at Market St & George St (northbound), however there is a no entry sign at King St & George St (southbound). Does this mean it is only legal to cycle northbound between Market & King St along Geoge St?
- The same situation from Druitt to Market St, though with the QVB platforms in between (pending on platform question above)
- Are no entry signs specific to the side of the road they are on? Eg. if there is a no entry sign on the left side, can I cycle on the right side of a street?
- Eg. There isn't a no entry sign on the right side when entering George St at Grosvenor St
- Do shared paths end at a light rail crossing like they do at a road crossing? There is no shared path marking on Quay St south of Hay St (just north of the carpark entrance) though it's heavily used.
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Discussed with 2 male police on bikes Thu 1st at 9:20 at the corner of Hay St & Tumbalong Bvd
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They were of opinion cycling is legal along all of Hay Sy light rail track and George St as long as cyclists stayed between the rails and did not slow down a tram
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Discussed with police on the ground Friday 4th June 2021 (2 years ago) (see record at https://www.openstreetmap.org/changeset/105807360). Following quotes are conversation with another OpenStreetMap contributor above:
Had a chat to cop on the ground, bicycles are currently allowed where no curb between track & street (north of Town Hall). The cop said bicycles are allowed when no curb between light rail track and the "pedestrian street". North of Druitt St there is no barrier so I believe it is legal. I definitely find it confusing.
- This broadly aligns with the NSW road rules indicating areas are tram lanes (not tramways) when there is no divider
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Discussed with police Dec 2023. They were of the opinion that cycling along Hay St from Pitt St (westwards) is not legal due to the no entry sign despite the designated bike route signage, and cycling anyone along Geoge St is not legal.
A work in progress map of current road signage is at https://opentrafficsignmap.jakecoppinger.com/
A draft map of bicycle wayfinding signage is at https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/1CpV (and more details/context at https://github.com/jakecoppinger/bicycle-signage-post-draft)
https://news.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/articles/bikes-and-the-new-light-rail-corridor
You’re not allowed to ride in the tram tracks
George Street pedestrian area is off limits for riding
You can’t ride a bike along George Street between Hunter and Bathurst streets, unless you're accessing a private driveway. In this case, you must enter at the closest cross street and ride to your destination.
In all other cases, you must walk your bike in the pedestrian area.
https://bicyclensw.org.au/a-tender-to-make-light-rail-safer-for-bike-riders/
Light rail market sounding – Investigation of industry capability for provision of a solution to the hazards posed by the flange-way gap in light rail tram tracks.
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Petition:
- https://www.change.org/p/rodd-staples-transport-for-nsw-do-not-ban-bicycle-riders-from-sydney-s-george-st?recruiter=28071397&recruited_by_id=da167120-daf9-012f-6193-4040f855b16c&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_abi&share_bandit_exp=abi-18867719-en-AU&share_bandit_var=v3
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George Street is the city's natural north-south corridor and the most logical and direct route from Central to Circular Quay, similar streets in cities all around the world, including Swanson Street in Melbourne, are able to combine light rail and bikes without any problems.
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The bike ban also undermines actions of the freight division of Transport for NSW, who have provided a courier hub to transfer items from vans to bike couriers to deliver to city businesses more quickly and efficiently. With a bike ban in place, these deliveries will still need to be made by van on George Street, creating spaces where delivery drivers continue to mix in pedestrian spaces.
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https://bicyclenetwork.com.au/newsroom/2017/11/09/george-street-bike-ban/
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Transport for NSW’s own CBD and South East Light Rail Project Pedestrian and Cyclist Network and Facilities strategy states that the project should consider “encouraging an increased pedestrian and cycle mode share”.
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And yet opposite is enacted within the same document: “George Street will no longer be available [for bicycle riders] after completion and during operation of the CSELR.”
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Consideration is made of ‘desire lines’ of optimal pedestrian movements, which is appropriate for an urban traffic plan, but the desire lines of bike riders is entirely overlooked.
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Devonshire Street, for instance, “would no longer be designated as a cycle route following the completion of the CSELR project.”
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Devonshire Street is the best connection for people who ride bikes between Bourke Street, Moore Park and Central Station and the suggested alternative route is in no way equivalent in connectivity, quality or directness.
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The reason given for excluding bike riders from George Street and Devonshire Street is that, “there is a perceived safety risk with cyclists riding along the track alignment”.
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This is clearly nonsense as bicycles will still be allowed along other sections of George Street where there will be tracks, as well as on Chalmers Street.
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Specifically, the CBD and South East Light Rail Project was permitted reliant on the Planning Minister’s Approval Condition B33, “with the objective of providing seamless, coherent, visible, and safe pedestrian and cycle access throughout and adjacent to the corridor”.
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https://bicyclensw.org.au/newcastle-light-rail-crossing-fatality/
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https://bicyclensw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/BNSW-Submission-2020.pdf
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Ban for cyclist on L2/L3 map (unsourced)
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https://bicyclensw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/826-1119-Ban-for-Cyclist-image-scaled.jpg
- https://bicyclenetwork.com.au/newsroom/2017/11/09/george-street-bike-ban/
- really well detailed arguments
- letter back from local member
- https://bicyclenetwork.com.au/newsroom/2019/11/20/banning-bikes-not-the-fix-for-george-street/
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The Inner West light rail line along Hay Street in Haymarket has been a well worn route for cyclists crossing the southern end of the CBD for years.
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- The change to motorists' habits has led the council to propose keeping closed several traffic lanes, which were originally to be reopened when the light rail line was completed.
- They include a southbound lane of George Street from Bathurst to Campbell streets; the intersection of George and Dalley streets; and an eastbound lane of Devonshire Street from Chalmers to Elizabeth streets in Surry Hills.
- Their closure would expand the size of pedestrian-friendly sections of the inner city.
- > Cyclists will be permitted to cross the new light rail corridor through the CBD if they are pulling into a driveway on George Street.
Labor Shadow Minister for Active Transport Jo Haylen called out the government for failing to properly design the CBD light rail.
“Light Rail on George Street is supposed to be about getting people out of their cars and onto public and active transport, but instead, the Government’s poor planning means cyclists are being kicked to the kerb.
https://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_reg/rr2014104/s158.html
NSW has a distinction between tram lanes and tramways. Cyclists are allowed in tram lanes (under rule 158) but not tramways.
Tramways are designated by a Tram only sign which is are the signs used for George Street (in some parts - see https://opentrafficsignmap.jakecoppinger.com/)
Hay St West of Sussex St has a single line deliniation which means it is legal to cycle one, but however has a "No Entry" sign at the western entrance. It is unclear whether this "No Entry" sign applies as bicycles can access the light rail corridor from the side of thr track using the traffic lights (with bicycle lantern) at Darling Drive.
155 Tram lanes (1) A driver (except the driver of a tram, tram recovery vehicle or public bus) must not drive in a tram lane, unless the driver is permitted to drive in the tram lane under this rule or rule 158.
Rule 158 provides additional exceptions applying to this rule, and also provides a defence to the prosecution of a driver for an offence > > against this rule.
(3) A tram lane is a part of a road with tram tracks that—
(a) is between a tram lane sign and an end tram lane sign, and
(b) is marked along the left side of the tracks (when facing the direction of travel of a tram on the tracks) by a continuous yellow line parallel to the tracks.
http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_reg/rr2014104/s155a.html
155A Tramways
(1) A driver (except the driver of a tram, tram recovery vehicle, public bus or special purpose vehicle) must not drive in a tramway, unless the driver is permitted to drive in the tramway under subrule (2).
Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.
Note 1—
Public bus, tram and tram recovery vehicle are defined in the Dictionary.
Note 2—
The exceptions and defence provided in rule 158 do not apply to tramways.
Note 3—
This subrule is not uniform with the corresponding subrule in rule 155A of the Australian Road Rules to the extent that it permits a driver of a special purpose vehicle to drive in a tramway. Different rules may apply in other Australian jurisdictions.
(2) A driver may drive in a tramway if—
(a) it is necessary for the driver to drive in the tramway to avoid an obstruction, and
(b) when driving in the tramway, the driver does not move into the path of an approaching tram or public bus travelling in the tramway.
Note—
Obstruction is defined in the Dictionary.
(3) A tramway is a part of a road with tram tracks that—
(a) is between a tramway sign and an end tramway sign, and
(b) is marked along the left side of the tracks (when facing the direction of travel of a tram on the tracks) by either—
(i) 2 continuous yellow lines parallel to the tracks, or
(ii) a structure (for example, a dividing strip, pedestrian refuge, traffic island, row of bollards or separation kerb), whether or not the structure is also being used to indicate a safety zone,
but does include any part of the road where vehicles are permitted to cross the tramway.
(4) For the purposes of subparagraph (3)(b)(i), a line is to be considered to be continuous despite any break in it that is designed to permit vehicles to cross the tramway.
Note—
Dividing strip, traffic island and tram tracks are defined in the Dictionary and safety zone is defined in rule 162.
(4–1) In this rule—
existing service contract means an existing service contract within the meaning of Part 2 of Schedule 3 to the Passenger Transport Act 2014.
public bus means a bus used to provide—
(a) a regular passenger service, within the meaning of the Passenger Transport Act 1990, operated under an existing service contract, or
(b) a public passenger service, within the meaning of the Passenger Transport Act 2014, that is either—
(i) operated under a passenger service contract entered into under Division 1 of Part 3 of that Act, or
(ii) exempt from the requirement to be operated under a passenger service contract by the operation of section 39(3) or (4) of that Act, or
(c) a service for the transport of passengers that replaces a public passenger service, or a part of a public passenger service, provided by a tram that has been disrupted in whole or part.
special purpose vehicle means a motor vehicle (whether a tow truck, a vehicle used for repairing traffic control light signals or another vehicle) being operated by or at the direction of Transport for NSW and proceeding to the scene of an accident or other emergency.
Note 2—
This is an additional NSW subrule. There are no corresponding definitions for existing service contract or special purpose vehicle for the purposes of rule 155A of the Australian Road Rules. The definitions are required for the purposes of subrule (1).
- https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2014-0758#sec.4
- https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2014-0758#dict
- "special purpose lane means a marked lane, or the part of a marked lane, that is a bicycle lane, bus lane, emergency stopping lane, tram lane, transit lane or truck lane."
- ..."tram lane is defined in rule 155"
dividing strip means an area or structure that divides a road lengthways, but **does not include **a nature strip, bicycle path, footpath or shared path.