Woolgoolga bike lane trial

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Consultation has concluded.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey. We are currently reviewing the feedback and will report to Council in the coming months. Participants who provided feedback will receive an update before the Council meeting.

About the project

A temporary bike lane has been installed along Beach Street between River Street and Wharf Street in Woolgoolga, as part of the NSW Government’s Streets as Shared Spaces program.

We are using this opportunity to trial a protected on-road bike lane to see how effective this type of bike lane may be in providing a safer cycling experience for residents and visitors.

The bike lane includes:

  • a protected on-road bike lane from River Street to Boundary Street, along Beach Street
  • a new wider shared footpath between Boundary Street and Wharf Street, adjacent to Beach Street

The need for a bike lane is identified in the Woolgoolga Town Centre Masterplan (adopted in 2018). The long-term aim for this bike lane is to create a continuous link from the beach to West Woolgoolga along Beach Street and Clarence Street, including a safer crossing of Solitary Islands Way.

Continuing to listen to your feedback

The Woolgoolga bike lane is a six-month trial from September 2022 extending until February 2023. Community surveys were conducted early in the Trial and we are now asking the community to give us their thoughts in a second survey in the final weeks of the official trial period.

We know there are a wide range of opinions on the suitability of this type of bike lane and how we can make it better, safer and more appealing.

  • Significant consultation has occurred in 2021 and 2022 with businesses, residents adjoining the route, cyclists and various other stakeholders including property owners. This preliminary consultation helped to define the extent of the trial route.
  • In September/October last year more than 230 people completed the online community survey on Have Your Say, to share their thoughts on the trial.
  • An additional survey was conducted by independent researchers over two days in Woolgoolga, seeking input from randomly selected people found near the route. More than 50 people contributed their views in this survey.
  • In 2023, we are again conducting the general community online survey, from 13 February to 26 February. Independent researchers will also hold another random survey on the street during February. Your input will help us to evaluate the success of the route; assess how much it is being used and; explore where improvements can be made in future cycleway connections for Woolgoolga.


Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey. We are currently reviewing the feedback and will report to Council in the coming months. Participants who provided feedback will receive an update before the Council meeting.

About the project

A temporary bike lane has been installed along Beach Street between River Street and Wharf Street in Woolgoolga, as part of the NSW Government’s Streets as Shared Spaces program.

We are using this opportunity to trial a protected on-road bike lane to see how effective this type of bike lane may be in providing a safer cycling experience for residents and visitors.

The bike lane includes:

  • a protected on-road bike lane from River Street to Boundary Street, along Beach Street
  • a new wider shared footpath between Boundary Street and Wharf Street, adjacent to Beach Street

The need for a bike lane is identified in the Woolgoolga Town Centre Masterplan (adopted in 2018). The long-term aim for this bike lane is to create a continuous link from the beach to West Woolgoolga along Beach Street and Clarence Street, including a safer crossing of Solitary Islands Way.

Continuing to listen to your feedback

The Woolgoolga bike lane is a six-month trial from September 2022 extending until February 2023. Community surveys were conducted early in the Trial and we are now asking the community to give us their thoughts in a second survey in the final weeks of the official trial period.

We know there are a wide range of opinions on the suitability of this type of bike lane and how we can make it better, safer and more appealing.

  • Significant consultation has occurred in 2021 and 2022 with businesses, residents adjoining the route, cyclists and various other stakeholders including property owners. This preliminary consultation helped to define the extent of the trial route.
  • In September/October last year more than 230 people completed the online community survey on Have Your Say, to share their thoughts on the trial.
  • An additional survey was conducted by independent researchers over two days in Woolgoolga, seeking input from randomly selected people found near the route. More than 50 people contributed their views in this survey.
  • In 2023, we are again conducting the general community online survey, from 13 February to 26 February. Independent researchers will also hold another random survey on the street during February. Your input will help us to evaluate the success of the route; assess how much it is being used and; explore where improvements can be made in future cycleway connections for Woolgoolga.


Consultation has concluded.

Please provide us with your initial thoughts on the bike lane trial. If you wish to ask a question please first check the Frequently asked Questions section of this page. If the answer you are after is not there please leave your question below and we will get back to you. 

Please note we will be undertaking more formal consultation in the coming months to gain your feedback on the bike lane trial.

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    Is this ridiculous idea still going ahead..?

    Sam from Woopi asked about 2 years ago

    We apologise for the delay in answering to your question. As you will have likely seen, the trial is going ahead - most of the bike lane and share path has now been installed with the exception of some ramp works to be completed by 31 August 2022. Over the next 6 months Council staff will monitor the usage of the bike lane and undertake community surveys, in order to report back to Council regarding the success of the trial, and to decide upon the future of the bike lane.

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    Why not psimply double the width of existing footpath...one side designated bike lane!!?

    Lisa Knox asked about 2 years ago

    One of the objectives of this type of on-road bike lane is to create a non-stop commuter-style bike link where people riding a bike do not give up their priority rights at side street intersections. While a shared path on the verge is an important element in any walking and cycling network, a shared path does not provide the same non-stop riding experience in a built-up environment with frequent side-street intersections where a cyclist on the verge is normally required to slow down and give way. 

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    Is Council providing extra parking spaces in the Woolgoolga CBD to replace the parking spaces taken up with these proposed cycleways? The proposed parallel parking will about halve the number of nose-in parking spaces in Beach and Clarence streets. No longer will residents be able to park outside the shop of their choice that currently exisits.

    R0ckb0tt0m asked over 2 years ago

    Good afternoon

    Council is drafting a Car Parking Management plan for the town centre as part of the Woolgoolga Place and Movement Plan. This is planned to be exhibited for community feedback later this year. To help develop this plan, Council has been monitoring car parking use in Woolgoolga over the last four years including detailed counts of existing spaces and the hourly use of these spaces to help understand regular parking patterns.

     The survey counts show there are about 450 spaces within a two to three-minute walk (about 200m) from the shops. At peak periods, normally around 10am, this is only about 70% full. Or, put another way, the majority of people who park at peak periods are within a 1-2-minute walk (100m) from the shops.

     The Car Parking Management plan also identifies where additional parking will be supplied as the town develops. This will be done consistently with the objectives of the town centre masterplan – recognising that streets belong to every person who walks, rides, plays and drives. We’re upgrading the streets so that everyone is welcome to enjoy them while continuing to provide for people that want or need to drive. The plan also includes measures to make best use of existing parking spaces using appropriate time restrictions and providing adequate accessible parking spaces.

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    Why put one in town when barely anyone uses the one on solitary island way ?

    Deborah Bohman asked over 2 years ago

    The community has told us they want to access safer and more enjoyable bike riding. The aim of this bike lane is to create a safe, enjoyable, non-stop commuter-style bike link that can be used by everyone. This bike lane will help link West Woolgoolga and ultimately the bike lane on Solitary Islands Way with the beach and town centre.

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    How does this not create more congestion in an already congested space? How do you justify removal of so many car parking spaces so close to the town centre, when there is already a path suitable to ride a bike on? I am all for bike riding but not this bike lane idea, it will be a terrible “trial” and waste of money.

    Amiee Ryan asked over 2 years ago

    The main spaces affected will be the marked angle spaces on one stretch of the north side of Beach Street between Boundary Street and Wharf Street which will become parallel spaces. This is consistent with the Woolgoolga Town Centre Masterplan. While around 40% of the marked spaces will be removed, there is adequate available parking spaces available within 50m-100m of this stretch which have very low usage rates.

    Bike paths on verges that are shared with pedestrians (a ‘Shared Path’) are an important element in any walking and cycling network. However, in this instance the purpose of this bike lane is to create a safe, easy and non-stop commuter-style bike link between West Woolgoolga and the town centre where cyclists don’t give up their priority rights when travelling along Clarence or Beach Street.  A shared path along the verge cannot provide this type of non-stop commuter-style bike link but it can complement the bike lane by providing a more ‘local’ path network for both pedestrians and young children on bicycles.

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    Are the trees opposite the Police Station at the crossing and further down near the neighbourhood centre going to be removed? How many car parks will be removed?

    Dena asked over 2 years ago

    The trees are not going to be removed as part of the trial. The bike lane treatment at these locations has been specifically designed to avoid removal of these trees. If the bike lane is converted to a permanent arrangement after the trial then we will investigate how to improve the bike lane at these locations including planting new trees if any of the existing trees were to be impacted by a permanent arrangement.

    The main spaces affected will be the marked angle spaces on one stretch of the north side of Beach Street between Boundary Street and Wharf Street which will become parallel spaces. This is consistent with the Woolgoolga Town Centre Masterplan. While around 40% of the marked spaces will be removed, there is adequate available parking spaces available within 50m-100m of this stretch which have very low usage rates.

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    What will happen to residents driveway access? How will they safely exit their driveways onto the road? What happens to lose parking outside properties for the property owners/occupier? Will CHCC designate parking spots for residents only?

    Rate Payer asked over 2 years ago

    Driveway access will operate as normal with drivers entering or exiting a driveway needing to give way to both pedestrians on the footpath and cyclists on the bike lane

    Parking spaces will have markings to indicate each individual space to make more efficient use of the space available. Allocation of the spaces will remain the same as current situation ie they are part of the public road reserve which means they cannot be exclusively allocated to any property.

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    With little evidence of usage by cyclists why is council effectively reducing car spaces required by the Neighbourhood Centre in Beach St especially when we have previously lodged submissions to increase parking.

    Rashmere asked over 2 years ago

    Council has data on current cyclist usage along Clarence and Beach Street and we will be collecting more data after installation of the bike lane to help assess the impact on encouraging more people to ride. The community has told us they want to access safer and more enjoyable bike riding but some people don’t due to fears of personal safety and lack of confidence riding on streets. This protected type of bike lane feels safer and allows more people to ride instead of drive.

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    What are the pre identified and agreed metrics to define success of the trial and decision point for retaining or removing the cycle way ?

    Bruce asked over 2 years ago

    The aim of this bike lane is to create a safe, enjoyable, non-stop commuter-style bike link that can be used by everyone. Assessing it’s success will involve consideration of a range of metrics and attitudes: – increases in the numbers of people using the bike lane as well as changes in age groups and gender profile of users; attitudes to perceived safety and ease of using the bike lane. Council will be conducting survey counts (before and after) and surveys of perceptions through the trial. 

    Council is also aiming to consult with the community on a broader plan for transport options for Woolgoolga towards the end of the trial – this plan (Woolgoolga Place and Movement Plan) will address walking and cycling networks, public transport improvements, car parking management, and future traffic improvement upgrades. The outcomes of all these processes will be used to assess the trial and what will be done post-trial.