Hornsby Shire Council is progressing with a proposal from Councillor Nathan Tilbury for the delivery of an off-road Active Transport corridor adjacent to Old Northern Road, between Glenorie and Dural.
At their June meeting Council unanimously supported Councillor Tilbury’s motion to work directly with The Hills Shire Council and seek the support of the relevant NSW government Ministers, local State and Federal MPs, as well as Transport for NSW, to develop a feasibility study to the proposal.
As a clear sign of support, it is understood The Hills Shire Council will consider a similar motion via Councillor Mitchell Blue at an upcoming meeting.
Councillor Tilbury explained, “At present there is no safe pedestrian or cycling pathway along Old Northern Road between Glenorie and Dural, which spans approximately 11.5 km. Tragically, pedestrians have been killed walking along Old Northern Road, with the most recent death in November 2024. For some time, Mid Dural Public School has also raised serious concerns about pedestrian safety along Old Northern Road due to lack of paths and road crossing facilities around the school.
In addition, I have been regularly contacted by many local residents about the lack of a footpath along Old Northern Road, including residents living with disabilities that affect their mobility.”
Local community groups have already enthusiastically rallied behind the proposal including the Glenorie Progress Association (GPA) and Arcadia Galston Residents Association (AGRA).
GPA President, Di Coxon-Ellis said, “It is far too dangerous to move around as a pedestrian and we have limited public transport options between Glenorie and Dural. We commend this proposal that aligns with our vision of connectivity and safety of our residents.”
It is important to note that Old Northern Road is State Road controlled making it the responsibility of Transport for NSW. The Councils will be jointly requesting funding support, through opportunities such as NSW Government grants, to undertake the feasibility study for the project and for its eventual delivery that is likely to be split over several stages.
A major challenge that needs to be overcome is that Old Northern Road is the boundary between Hornsby Shire and The Hills Shire, as well as the local State and Federal electorates boundaries. It is crucial that the two councils and all local MPs work collaboratively, to give the proposal every chance of success.
It is expected that the feasibility study will highlight the issues and complexities of this project to inform its design and the best way to apply for grants.
Hornsby Council has previously delivered similar, albeit shorter, shared pathway projects, including between Hornsby and Mt Colah, along Peats Ferry Road and the Pacific Highway. More recently one was completed along Brooklyn Road, between Hawkesbury River railway station and Kangaroo Point, that was delivered in stages Brooklyn Road’s and funded by NSW Government grants
