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Brisbane City Council takes protest organisers to court for infringing "people's right to freedom of movement"...for a protest march across a bridge that BCC has closed access to for pedestrians

Brisbane West BUG

Do you support suggestions to install a temporary shared path on one of the 6 traffic lanes of the Story Bridge while Brisbane City Council pulls its finger out to address the problems it has known about for 5 years or more and failed to act?

We do. And next Friday May 30th there is a March across the Story Bridge to show it. And do you know what? Council is trying to take the organisers to court, because "people's right to freedom of movement would be excessively interfered with."

So while it's perfectly fine to close a bridge that thousands of people rely on for walking or riding across for months with no definitive timeframe for reopening, but occupying a lane for a march across the bridge "interferes with freedom of movement".

We think the ongoing interference with people's right to freedom of movement by not being able to walk or ride across the bridge is far more serious.

While that court action plays out, share this event with everyone you know.

This city is not the sole domain of cars. But, unbelievably, we need to fight for the right to walk.

Fri, 30 May at 08:00

March Across the Story Bridge

Scott St, Kangaroo Point QLD 4169, Australia

14 comments

  • Reads like a Beetoota headline.

  • Earlier this week, Kathryn submitted a Notice of Intent, satisfying the requirements to make this a legal protest under the Peaceful Assemblies Act. However, the Queensland Police Service, together with Brisbane City Council quickly lodged an objection, and will apply to take the matter before a magistrate in an effort to shut down the protest. (In a mediation session this morning, the parties did not reach agreement on an alternative approach). They will attempt to argue that briefly closing the bridge to motor vehicle traffic while hundreds of people walk across is likely to jeopardize the safety of persons, cause serious public disorder, or excessively interfere with the rights or freedoms of others.

    Unless a magistrate makes an order against the assembly, or Brisbane City Council takes a sensible long-term approach and allocates one of the kerbside lanes for people to safely walk and cycle across the Story Bridge, we’ll be joining the protest walk on Friday. Feel free to bring your bike or scooter (but you will need to walk with it, not ride), or a stroller, trolley or pram. Dress up, carry a sign, or just come along and join with others in claiming space for people.

    Oh good, not just BCC but QPS too.

    ACAB.

  • When I was bike commuting across that bridge, I'd always use the road lane anyway. Getting on and off the path at either end was a pain. However, closing down both paths without a replacement is not on. Giving up a lane doesn't seem unreasonable. Why are both paths closed? They always used to do path maintenance one side at a time.

    Edit: I did a bit of searching, and the answer seems to be No Good Reason. Baffling.

    • Yeah they've known since 2016 that significant maintenance was required of the shared paths. They neglected to do it. Then, after Alfred, they did another analysis and found the condition is serious enough that they had to close them entirely.

      There are also serious structural issues with the main bridge that mean it'll probably need to be closed to heavy vehicles within a decade and closed down entirely within 2. And BCC hasn't budgeted for that either. Currently they're mooting a private toll or begging the state and federal government for funding to get that fixed.

      • Does the city council actually manage the bridge? I would have thought a major road into the city would come under Transport and Main Roads.

14 comments