To get on and off the cycleway at the northern end, riders need to carry their bikes through some safety barriers and up or down 55 steps at Bradfield Park North.

The steps create a backlog as people get on and off their bikes, interrupting the flow of cyclists and reducing capacity at peak times. The steps are also a safety hazard and can deter a wider group of people from riding their bikes more.

Many plans to replace the steps have been explored over the years. But it’s been hard to find a solution that all our stakeholders agree on.

As more and more people have taken to their bikes during the Covid pandemic, it has become clear that better infrastructure is needed to cater for this growing interest and make bike riding a more common choice of transport. So, the NSW Government is taking a fresh look at the project to develop a replacement for the steps.

Our analysis indicates that a ramp would deliver considerable capacity, accessibility and safety benefits to the cycleway overall. We are committed to driving positive place outcomes and are acutely aware of the need to minimise impacts to open space and the heritage value of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. So, we will take a design excellence process to make sure the ramp is refined, elegant and appropriate to the surroundings.

The southern access ramp to the cycleway is steep, has poor sightlines and creates a 'pinch point' with cars and pedestrians on Upper Fort Street. In 2016, RMS developed a design concept to replace the southern access with a separated and more accessible ramp. A Review of Environmental Factors was displayed in 2017.

Over the next few months, we will be consulting key stakeholders on the project's urban design and heritage requirements, and on a shortlist of ramp options. And, during the first half of 2021, we will consult the local community and cyclists on a concept design.

The Government will assess the southern and northern access projects together once a preferred design for the north has been selected. This will inform a decision on the best way to improve the cycleway's capacity, safety and connectivity and deliver enhanced customer and place outcomes at each end.