A long-running dispute over the missing cycling connection through Paddington has intensified, with local traders warning that changes to parking could hurt businesses while neighbouring councils push for a continuous protected route between Sydney’s CBD and the eastern suburbs.
The contested corridor runs along Oxford Street between Taylor Square and the Centennial Parklands Gates, linking the completed City of Sydney cycleway through Darlinghurst with cycling infrastructure towards Centennial Park and the eastern suburbs. Transport for NSW is progressing improvements to the corridor through its broader Oxford Street Revitalisation Project.
Traders raise parking and access concerns
Paddington business owners have warned that reducing nearby parking could affect trade, particularly for shops whose customers often arrive by car. One flooring retailer said customers generally drove to the area and that finding parking for a work vehicle could already involve circling nearby streets for as long as 45 minutes.
Other local traders have raised similar concerns about passing traffic and customer access if parking is reduced to accommodate the cycling connection. Business owners have also pointed to the existing cycling route along Moore Park Road, about 300 metres away, as an alternative to a separated route along Oxford Street.
Concerns over parking and access pre-date the latest debate. Earlier Transport for NSW consultation recorded concerns from the Paddington Chamber of Commerce about potential parking losses, accessibility and the case for the proposed route, including requests for comparisons with cycling movements on Moore Park Road.
Woollahra Council opposed the earlier Oxford Street East Cycleway proposal. In November 2025, the NSW Government announced the Oxford Street Revitalisation Project would replace the earlier cycleway project.
Councils press for link to Centennial Park
Waverley Council and the City of Sydney have renewed calls for a safe, continuous cycling corridor along Oxford Street, arguing that the Paddington section remains a gap between the city and the eastern suburbs.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has criticised the length of time taken to complete the connection, while Waverley Cr Michelle Stephenson said riding along the remaining section of Oxford Street was difficult and dangerous where separated infrastructure ends.
The City of Sydney completed its two-way separated cycleway between Castlereagh Street and Taylor Square in July 2025. The works also included upgraded intersections and pedestrian crossings, new paving, garden beds and street furniture.
City figures have shown strong use of the completed route. More than 4,000 daily bicycle trips were recorded in early December 2025, compared with almost 3,000 trips a day before the separated infrastructure opened.
Revitalisation plan extends beyond cycling
The current state-led proposal is broader than the earlier cycleway project. Transport for NSW’s Oxford Street Revitalisation strategy includes a separated bicycle connection as well as wider and more accessible footpaths, additional trees, improved public spaces, street furniture and opportunities for outdoor dining.
Plans also identify improvements around Taylor Square, Glenmore Road and the Centennial Parklands Gates, along with pedestrian crossings and changes to public transport infrastructure. Transport’s published concepts are indicative and remain subject to further community and stakeholder input and design development.
Supporters of the cycling connection have also cited evidence that walking and cycling improvements can benefit local shopping strips. Committee for Sydney research on walkable and bikeable streets cites Australian and international studies linking active-transport improvements with increased customer visits and spending, including examples where on-street parking was reduced as cycling and pedestrian infrastructure was introduced.
Some Paddington traders remain concerned about whether the redesigned street will preserve enough parking, loading and customer access for businesses whose customers and deliveries frequently arrive by vehicle. With the final design still under development, debate over how to close Oxford Street’s cycling gap while accommodating local businesses remains unresolved.
Published 25-Aug-2026
