Eco News | Here's my vision for Hereford Street

The first part of our ride showcases Bathurst - past, present and future potential.

We ride from our wonderful Town Square - court house, Kings Parade, new Anglican bell tower, cool, inviting Machattie Park, views up George Street with glimpses of our European history and our special cafe and food culture.

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Then it's around the roundabout into the wasteland of lower George Street. No trees (don't even venture here on summer days), struggling businesses, people scurrying in and out of their cars to get away as quickly as possible.

Pedestrians struggle to cross the street.

Then it's another hot, dangerous roundabout; glance left at the appalling streetscape of Howick Street: no trees, no shade, huge expanses of hot tarmac. (We wonder how our local member can go to work there every day.)

Our streets deserve trees and shade.

Next is the highway, with its roar and fumes of large trucks - at least there are traffic lights for a safe crossing. I ponder why Bathurst does not send these monsters around a bypass and leave our city in peace.

Then it's time to pluck up courage and vigilance to traverse the roundabout to the river (remember a friend killed by a car on this roundabout).

Glance to the left to the attractive but forlornly isolated Pillars of Bathurst park (no pedestrian access), to the right our wonderful river Peace Park.

Sparkling river, one beautiful sculpture, trees, shade, paths, walkers, children, dogs.

Then it's on to Hereford Street: excellent surface, but swarms of speeding cars, very limited shade, no seating, barren car parks. Not at all an inviting space; very few walkers.

All on the most productive land in Bathurst.

The Gilmour Street roundabout: very dangerous. No safe crossing for pedestrians.

Through the roundabout and turn left on to an inviting, shaded, meandering path, much used by locals.

I ponder why this cannot continue to the CBD, with traffic lights for a safe crossing.

Our Wambuul river is treated as a traffic nuisance, dividing the city.

The river should once again become the focus of our city, and Hereford Street should be developed as a wide parkland corridor linking large residential areas to the CBD.

Access to this must be safe for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.

A new high-level bridge should provide underpaths along the river.

The existing low-level bridge could be dedicated to walkers and cyclists.

It is vital that future plans for this area do not just focus on the movement of cars.