Wollongong split on plan to see cyclists in Crown Street Mall

As part of its push to make Wollongong a bike-friendly city, the city council is considering a trial that would allow cyclists to use the mall.

At present, cyclists are banned from riding through the mall.

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There is no firm detail on the trial - such as whether it would see a dedicated bike lane through the mall - as planning is in the early stages.

When the Mercury went into the mall to ask pedestrians how they felt about the plan, people were cautiously in favour of it.

"As long as there's a safety aspect with pedestrians and everyone's a little bit careful with pedestrians it'll be fine," Brett Magennis said.

"It's an access route so I think it should be open to everyone."

Callum Lowbridge from Wollongong felt that cyclists and pedestrians would both need to be more aware but felt it was a good thing as it could mean fewer cars in the CBD.

Towradgi's Carol Quinn couldn't quite understand why cyclists couldn't go around the mall instead.

"If it was me personally I'd have cyclists on one side and pedestrians on the other," she said.

It was a different story online, where people tend to feel the freedom to vent at cyclists in a way they wouldn't do in person.

Comments on the Mercury Facebook page were resoundingly against the Wollongong City Council proposal.

"Can we stop pandering to cyclists?" asked Matt Starr.

"The mall is pedestrian foot traffic - asking for accidents with cyclists in there."

Kim Scott thought the move was a bad idea too.

"Stop this crazy bike mentality," she said.

"The bike riders don't use the bike lanes now. Just makes it harder for drivers and pedestrians."

Tash Cordell felt it would put pedestrians off using the mall if they had to cross "dangerous bike lanes".

"We need to keep it pedestrian but have plenty of free parking on adjacent roads and a bike line on roads alongside it," Ms Cordell said.

Warren Goodall felt council would also need to place an ambulance at each end of the mall "to look after the pedestrians who get run over by bikes weaving through the meandering crowds".

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