About Us

Our Community, Our Streets

The Paddington Project is a volunteer-led community initiative formed by local residents, business owners, and heritage advocates. Our goal is to ensure that major changes, like the proposed Oxford Street cycleway, strengthen, not divide, our community.

We live here. We see how our streets function every day, from local deliveries and emergency services to school runs and weekend shopping. Oxford Street isn’t just a road for Paddington; it’s a vital link for the entire eastern suburbs, used constantly by ambulances, fire engines, and buses serving thousands of people.

The current plan introduces right-turn bans that would effectively split Oxford Street into a northern and southern corridor, cutting direct access between them. This would make it harder for residents, customers, and service vehicles to move through the area and would disrupt the rhythm of local business and daily life.

We hear the concerns of our shopkeepers, café owners, and neighbours who depend on street access for their livelihoods. We share their desire for safer streets, especially for our ageing population and families with young children. But real safety comes from thoughtful planning that respects how our community actually works.

We support cycling, and we want a cycleway for everyone. We believe the best place for it is on Moore Park Road, where the existing temporary route has already proven effective and safe. With proper investment, that corridor could deliver the cycling network Sydney needs without compromising the character and function of Paddington.

It’s easy for planners and decision-makers outside the area to draw new lines on a map. But we live here, and we understand the daily realities those changes will bring. Our message is simple: work with us to create a cycleway that connects the city, protects our heritage, and keeps Paddington moving.