Tensions mount between cyclists and Brisbane City Council ahead of Story Bridge peak hour protest

7NEWS

5 days ago

Mounting tensions between cyclists and council are reaching a crescendo, as the courts rule planned protests across the aging Story Bridge will not go ahead.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said he was 'relieved' to hear the courts had opposed the protests and is hoping 'protestors take that ruling seriously'.
The 85-year-old bridge has come under scrutiny in recent months after key sections of its pedestrian and cycle paths were closed to the public due to safety concerns.
An independent report into the condition of the bridge found it to be in an accelerated state of disrepair.
Story Bridge footpaths which were closed in March ahead of Cyclone Alfred were never reopened after an assessment revealed they had 'deteriorated at an accelerated pace', with metal corrosion and water leaking through the concrete.
Brisbane City Council is fast-tracking protective netting to contain concrete spalling and to 'mitigate potential safety issues', the report said.
A Facebook group with over 400 supporters 'demanded' that Brisbane City Council allocate one car lane to pedestrian, cyclist and scooter traffic.
A protest by the group across the bridge was set to take place on Friday, where organisers had planned to stop car traffic on the bridge and use all six lanes to 'walk safely across' in protest of the council's decisions.
'For well over two months there has been no timeframe given to the public as to when the footpaths will reopen,' they said.
While the group acknowledged that the footpaths over the bridge were unsafe to travel on, they said the lack of communication from council and the lack of a suitable detour had left thousands of bridge users frustrated.
'Unfortunately, the court has determined that the protest is not authorised to go ahead,' they said on Thursday.
'This is a disappointing outcome, but we will not give up the fight for an active transport lane.'
While the council regularly maintains the bridge — at a current cost of $3 million per year — a full restoration is needed.
Council maintains it cannot cover the significant costs alone, and state and federal government funding was needed.
Schrinner said that closing a lane to traffic had been something council had investigated, however, he maintained one lane would be insufficient due to safety reasons, and two lanes would be required to be closed.
The Brisbane mayor also took a swing at the Greens, saying the protest had been backed by the party.
'This is a Greens back protest ... they were willing to put 96 per cent of users of the bridge off site to make a political point,' he said.
'We need to stop promoting it.'
Trina Massey, Greens Councillor for the Gabba Ward, took to social media on Wednesday, saying it was easier for council to attack her and the Greens than to 'admit the LNP has failed at even the most basic responsibilities'.
'The real issue isn't the protest — poor planning, unsafe infrastructure, and a refusal to adapt have left everyone worse off — whether you're walking, riding, rolling, catching a bus, or driving,' she said.
A petition to restore pedestrian access to the bridge was organised by Massey and has amassed over 1200 signatures.
'If a peaceful protest upsets them more than a crumbling bridge, their priorities are broken,' she said.
Carrying more than 100,000 vehicles every day, Story Bridge has the third-highest daily vehicle volume of any of the city's river crossings.