13/07/2026
I’ve just sent this letter
Here is my letter to Mark Greenhill. Mayor, Blue Mountains City Council. Please action if you wish though your own correspondence and/or simply forwarding this to like minded people
Dear Sir,
I’m writing to you, after hearing several disturbing stories, about actions undertaken, by BMCC, which show its continued poor management and implementation, of it’s vision, for a safe active transport environment, across the entire Blue Mountains.
Since 1998, I have been advocating and promoting safe bicycling infrastructure, across the Blue Mountains. During this period some commendable ‘watershed’ moments have occurred. These included successful feasibility studies, investigations of safe bicycle corridors and street networks, first ever direct federal government funding of a councils cycling infrastructure, the acknowledgment by RMS that ‘although they don’t build cycle paths, they can build extra wide footpaths’ during the upgrade of the Great Western Highway. Further submissions to Transport NSW resulted in Bicycle Carriage Facilities on the new intercity fleet.
Unfortunately, after 28 years, BMCC, demonstrates little understanding, of how to interact with progressive groups, who advocate, what is required for an active transport community.
- the new proposals on Cliff Drive, have a very large ‘unfunded’ section. These proposals have been in place for decades, and yet so little to show. At the very least, the involved streets should be made pedestrian and bicycle friendly, by making a submission to RMS, to reduce the speed limit to 20km/hr.
- the recent upgrade of the surface of Railway Pde between Wentworth Falls to Bullaburra is not suited to road bicycles, Worse still, it is consistent with the danger of, overtaking cars, spraying up Blue Metal Gravel into the legs, body and face of cyclists. When this road was originally surfaced, it was to provide a safe bicycle alternative to the GWH and Boddington Hill, which had seriously injured, as well as claimed the lives of cyclists in the past.
- the bicycle trail from the Explorers Tree to Mt Victoria is still discontinuous. It still needs to be connected to Katoomba. This path was a compromise, which the council put in place, hoping that further upgrades of the GWH, would incorporate a bike path under their funding. The corridor along the railway line between Blackheath and Mt Victoria could have included an old Railway corridor (Rail Trail), or further access along the service trail could have been negotiated, as half of it is already open to the public, for car access to rock climbing. Other corridors, from Katoomba to Medlow Bath, on the edge of the water catchment areas, could also have been negotiated, but bio security (bicycle chain oil) was used as an excuse, whilst at the same time, we were being poisoned by PFAS, in our water.
- the Lapstone Tunnel is a very commendable project, which we also had proposed a quarter of a century ago. It sounds like the current proponents are having similar issues to what other ‘progressive groups’ have had to deal with, when working with BMCC. Lack of communication, alienation of groups, sidelining others, wearing down truely genuine people, through seemingly inefficient processes, including the isolation of stake holders, weak excuses and the use of prolonged timeframes.
- common themes have suggested the lack of transparency of processes involving assessment and implementation of projects. If this is the case then without transparency there cannot be any accountability.
- considering the 28 years which have passed, can BMCC truely assess how much they have achieved? The fact that so little funding is forthcoming, that projects never really seem to get finished, simple civil engineering mistakes continue to occur, suggests that they aren’t living up to the expectations of their residents.
- What are BMCC’s goals, timeline and overall vision for safe active transport? Can children safely ride to school, local ovals, recreational facilities and shops? Can residents safely commute by bicycle? Can cyclists feel safe riding on the street? Have the surfaces, kerbs, intersections, etc taken into account bicycle users or is it primarily car centric?
- the fact that bicycle users can ride safely from one end of Wentworth Falls to the other is a really positive thing and those engineers and planners should be commended. This is almost a’ gold standard’ of what can be achieved. Ticks all the boxes of safe connectivity. But why isn’t Wentworth Falls nicely connected to its neighbouring villages
- the Lapstone Tunnel is a bold and very commendable project, but why are the public well meaning proponents so dismayed? These people should be considered a resource for council, not ‘the enemy’.
- serious gaps still exist in the inter-village network across the Blue Mountains (Falconbridge to Woodford, Leura to Wentworth Falls and the upper Blue Mountains from Katoomba). Poor planning can now also include Wentworth Falls to Bullaburra.
I know there are well meaning and competent people in council. However, I’m uncertain if the vision and the will to promote a truly sustainable future, through safe bicycle infrastructure, is intrinsic to, and supported by, the entire culture of the BMCC? There are definite ‘shining lights’ in council. However, are they being given the backing and funding they need? Finally, are community progressive groups considered a resource or a hindrance?
Martin Krause
Wentworth Falls Resident
