Transport for NSW Media Release: 16 August 2022
Wollongong will host the 2022 UCI Road World Championships next month and residents are being encouraged to plan ahead with significant road closures and changes to on-street parking conditions for parts of the city.
Transport for NSW will establish Special Event Clearways on public roads to accommodate Wollongong hosting the UCI’s pinnacle road cycling event between Saturday 17 and Sunday 25 September.
Transport for NSW Executive Director of Customer Coordination and Service Delivery Roger Weeks said being informed and planning ahead will be vital as the city’s road network will not operate as it usually does.
“Transport for NSW is working closely with Wollongong City Council, the Wollongong 2022 local organising committee and government agencies to make changes to the road network to facilitate the nine days of training and racing and ensure the safety of everyone,” Mr Weeks said.
“It is important to understand there will be no parking allowed along any part of the race routes on competition and training days over the course of the event.
“We ask the community to get familiar with their local road closures and parking restrictions, to plan ahead and to make alternate arrangements where required.”
Special Event Clearway parking restrictions will be in effect along state and local roads used for the race, and some surrounding roads at various times during the event period for the safety of participants, spectators and the community.
Vehicles that do not comply with the clearways will be towed to the nearest available parking space and a fee will apply. Residents are urged to check signs carefully before parking on streets on the day or the night before races.
During the event, community and visitors will find real-time updates via livetraffic.com or the Live Traffic NSW app.
Not all roads are impacted, and some major arterial roads will be open but drivers should allow for congestion and extra travel time.
- The M1, Memorial Drive and Princes Highway (except for a section in Fairy Meadow and North Wollongong) will operate as usual throughout the week
- There will be part day closures on Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Masters Road, Springhill Road, Five Islands Road and the Princes Highway at Unanderra on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 September only
- Towradgi Road and Balgownie Road will be permanently open and serve as connectors to Mt Ousley, Fairy Meadow, Towradgi and Balgownie
- Lawrence Hargrave Drive will be open Sunday 18 to Friday 23 September.
Emergency services are involved in event planning and will have priority access to all areas of the city at all times.
Transport for NSW will provide increased train services on the Illawarra and South Coast line during the UCI event to support travel to and from Wollongong.
Wollongong City Council General Manager Greg Doyle said he understands the event period will present challenges to residents with road closures, parking availability and clearways.
“Hosting an event of this size and calibre will bring disruption that is unfamiliar to our city. We recognise these changes will present challenges to our residents when moving about the city and suburbs,’’ he said.
“Transport for NSW, Wollongong City Council and Wollongong 2022 have been planning this event for over two years to ensure that safety of our residents, visitors and cyclists is paramount during event time.
“Not all roads are impacted, and some major arterial roads, such as the M1 and Memorial Drive, will be open, but drivers should allow for congestion and extra travel time. Now is the time to plan ahead and we encourage people to explore alternative modes of transport during this week such as car-pooling, active transport or train and bus services to get around our city.’’
Mr Doyle said that despite the city operating differently during event time, many across the city are preparing to welcome the world to Wollongong.
"It’s been amazing to see the excitement brewing across our city for this top international sporting event that will put Wollongong on the global map for years to come. Lots of people are planning around the disruptions to get involved in the Championship festivities and welcome visitors to our beautiful city,” Mr Doyle said.
Wollongong 2022 CEO Stu Taggart thanked the community for their interest and engagement in the event, saying they’ve been working closely with NSW Health, the Department of Education, Home Care Services and other service providers in the community to support residents during race time.
“An event of this scale calls for a lot of planning and collaboration and we’re incredibly grateful for the support of the community and our event partners to prepare for event time,” Mr Taggart said.
“In planning the race routes, we have been mindful of community impact during the event period and we have worked hard to ensure Memorial Drive and the M1 are accessible as well as preserving access to as much of Princes Highway as possible.
“Please visit the event website to understand how the road closures and clearways affect you, talk about it with your family and friends, and consider if there are any changes you could plan now that will make the week a bit easier.”
Residents in the Wollongong LGA will this week see detailed information in their letterboxes about event road closures. This will include important information and guides, including an event week checklist for households to prepare for the impacts.
Interactive maps allow the community to pinpoint which road closures and clearways will affect them and allow them to make alternative transport arrangements.
Detailed information and maps are available at wollongong2022.com.au/
