The Inner West Council’s Bike Strategy (2023) recognises that Ashfield suffers from a lack of bicycle infrastructure, compared to the former Leichhardt and Marrickville Council areas, and that a special effort needs to be made to improve the roads for the safety for cyclists and investigate the possibilities for improved bike routes.
To this end, a consultant was appointed in 2023/24 to assess traffic flows in North Ashfield and effects that bike lanes or traffic calming would have.
This report was done but has not been made public. Word is that the report was the Council traffic engineers objected to its findings.
Council is now asking for public comment on traffic issues for North Ashfield on its Yoursay pages. Please have a look and add a green sticker or two!
Ashfield Bicycle Group submission, highlighting Elizabeth St and Alt/Bland Sts as needing traffic calming or reduction and bicycle infrastructure.
A further development is that a motion by Greens Councillor Antoniou to investigate Elizabeth and Grosvenor Sts as an east-west bicycle route was passed by council on 15/2/25.
This lends support to the State Government’s Strategic Cycleway project, which is looking at a cycleway from Ashfield Station to Burwood, possibly using Elizabeth St.
There is also a plan to develop a bike path along the Iron Cove Creek canal, between Elizabeth St to Iron Cove . Funding for a design has been given. Difficulties arise at Parramatta Rd and Church St, where the canal lacks headroom.
Frederick St also presents possibilities, being basically a two lane road with extra wide 5 m traffic lanes. A report was supposed to have been done as part of the Iron Cove Creek Masterplan.