The last time protesters tried to stop traffic on the Story Bridge to draw attention to the closure of its footpaths, they were blocked by a court.
Now they’re trying again.
In May, protesters lodged a notice of intention to protest by walking across the Story Bridge on a Friday at 8am, closing all six traffic lanes, but a court ruled it would be too disruptive.
The Story Bridge Active Travel Alliance is preparing for its next protest.Credit: Kathryn Good
The Story Bridge footpaths, used by about 4000 walkers, bike and scooter riders, were closed suddenly five months ago.
The Story Bridge Travel Alliance has now announced its next protest, a protest fashion walk, on Sunday, August 24, with a walk across one traffic lane in their finest outfits from 11am, then to the Kangaroo Point Bridge, and ending at the City Botanic Gardens.
It’s the same day the Brisbane Fashion Festival plans to hold a parade on the Kangaroo Point Bridge from 10.30am.
Story Bridge Active Travel Alliance organiser Kathryn Good said commuters who would usually use the Story Bridge shared paths were being forced into lengthy and unsafe detours.
“If council can roll out the red carpet on the Kangaroo Point green bridge for a fashion show, they can certainly make space on the Story Bridge for the thousands of us just trying to get to work,” she said.
The group has been calling for one traffic lane to be turned into an active travel lane while the footpaths are closed, and they’ve hosted a “bike bus” across the bridge on weekday mornings.
The council has started installing steel joists and reinforced polymer decking, and has warned some night traffic lane closures will be needed, as they try to reopen at least one footpath before the end of the year, while it hopes the federal government will help pay for a full restoration of the bridge.
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