Repeal against Cairns Esplanade Dining Precinct general traffic ban voted down

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08/12/21 UPDATE

A repeal on Cairns Regional Council's earlier decision to ban all public traffic on the Esplanade Dining Precinct road has today been voted down.

Councillors Amy Eden, Terry James, Brett Olds, Max O'Halloran and Cathy Zeiger voted in favour of the proposed resolution in today's council meeting. 

A notice of the repeal was also signed by Councillor Rob Pyne, but instead Cr Pyne joined Councillors Rhonda Coghlan, Kristy Vallely and Brett Moller in voting against the repeal.

Mayor Bob Manning cast the deciding vote against the repeal, citing his support of the council officer's recommendations.

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EARLIER

Six of the ten Councillors at Cairns Regional Council will tomorrow seek to repeal a decision to completely block the Cairns Esplanade Dining Precinct to public traffic.

The issue has been the subject of intense debate in recent months as a variety of traffic management options were discussed to improve pedestrian safety on the one-way thoroughfare between Shields and Aplin Streets.

At the previous General Meeting in November, two options were put to Councillors.

The officer’s recommendation was to implement a complete ban for public vehicles and restrict commercial vehicles to a speed limit of 10 kilometres per hour to allow for deliveries to businesses.

Councillor Amy Eden, whose division takes in the Cairns CBD, moved a separate motion for all vehicles to continue to have access, but only during the hours of 11-PM and 11-AM to completely close the road during the busy lunch and dinner periods.

“We want to get this right, every single one of us here,” Councillor Eden said during that meeting.

“Shutting the road during high pedestrian periods achieves the project’s main design objective which is improving that pedestrian amenity, including safety.”

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Those speaking against her motion raised concerns about the flexibility of businesses to get deliveries, particularly to re-stock between lunch and dinner trade.

Both options also attracted worries about pedestrian confusion.

When it came time to decide, it was a bit of a dog’s breakfast.

The votes were completely split, with Councillor Manning using his casting vote to break the deadlock in favour of the officer’s recommendation.

Cr Max O’Halloran didn’t support either motion, while Cr Pyne voted in favour of both options.

However, it seems Cr Eden now has majority support, with Cr O’Halloran among those to sign a proposal to repeal the original resolution in favour of the 11-AM to 11-PM closure.

Councillors Terry James, Brett Olds, Rob Pyne and Cathy Zeiger have also leant their support.

They’re proposing a three-month trial effective December 15.

The notice of repeal will be raised during tomorrow’s general meeting, which is the last for the 2021 calendar year.