Patrick Reynolds is deputy chair of the City Centre Advisory Panel. The header image is from Walthamstow, London
The city centre now has a few stretches of street where the space has been repurposed to a people and place focused design from full time traffic use. These are a great improvement, an essential update to the whole tone and balance of the city centre from its previous condition. A condition set last century with the removal of the trams tracks and a re-ordering of city streets to serve the new motorway system, as described here.
These refreshes have been underway for more than a decade now as recorded in this NZ Herald article from all the way back in 2009 (in what now seems like a strangely factual and even positive article and headline on this kind of subject, absent catastrophising and outrage-farming, oh for the pre-culture war times).
These shifts are mostly spatial, changes in the use and design of space from one thing to another. This is always difficult, as the urban street about the most contested public space we have, with so many demands on its use.
I am fully in support of these upgrades, but as attention turns to the narrower side streets like High St, I think a different approach may be more successful, one in common use all over the world.
How do all those busy cities manage the practicalities of commerce, like service and delivery, as efficiently as possible while maximising the place quality that attract visitors and business in the first place? Especially those with narrow medieval streets that just don’t have six lanes to divide into different uses.
Through the cunning use of time.
Below is the famous Strøget in Copenhagen, in the morning, it is given over to delivery vehicles, and below, later in the day, when these are banned from entering and the retailers are fully focused on selling.
Delineating different uses for city streets and squares by time of day is so common in Europe that it can be considered best practice.
As far as I could find out Strøget is open to service and commercial vehicles from 4am to 11am. All street cleaning, provisioning etc happens in these hours. Business owners there can focus on receiving deliveries and tradesmen before 11am, and then fully turn their attention to serving customers from 11am till they close. Municipal services like rubbish collection and street cleaning in the small hours.
A key feature of this approach is that it separates street management from street design. No need for lots of different areas, barriers, or forests of signs, to describe and control each square metre of a street, for every kind of use along its length simultaneously. Just manage the entry points. This also means a city can introduce this change without investing millions in new street design. Don’t get me wrong, both refreshed operations and urban design are important but they don’t have to synchronise, it is possible to change them separately. Strøget above was changed to this pattern in 1962 without touching a paver, as can be seen in the photo below from its opening, the old vehicle street pattern still in place still in place:
In fact the pretty paving in the pics I took just prior to covid only date from the 1990s.
All over the world this sort of time based management is extremely common, then followed by physical upgrades once bedded in.
Here’s Ljubljana
How is it enforced? There are varying techniques, but the most effective one, seen all over the world is the rising bollard:
Though here’s Copenhagen again, a few Jersey barriers perhaps left over from a motorway project, not pretty but they do the job:
Of course this would mean working with businesses and delivery providers to work out a new time based system on certain streets. Probably worth trialling somewhere like High St. Clearly this is possible elsewhere, I see no reason why it couldn’t be here.
It’s not like our current all day access for everything system is without its problems:
The trade-off for service and delivery providers is use of the whole street, just for them, for the agreed hours, in exchange for no access at peak shopping hours.
Additionally, if we were to install rising barriers on all the narrow streets of the laneway network then it would be cheaper and easier to close them temporarily for events, like Diwali or other festivals. No cones or fences, or other forms of expensive and ugly temporary traffic management in order to create valuable party zones. The city centre desperately needs to be able to host more events more cheaply to grow its vitality and appeal.
The streets in pink above are envisioned as the laneway network in the CCMP. Some of them at least could benefit from this approach.
Walthamstow, London, a more suburban centre also with this treatment:
A key advantage in control access by time rather than only by space is it enables a much simpler surface design: a curb-less single level pattern suits all uses. Makes it easier to park all over it with commercial vehicles, then is also better when its just people.
Back to a city centre, Bourke St, Melbourne, here a permit system is used, with both a fee and limit access times
Retail area treatment, Walthamstow:
Strøget at 2:30pm on an October Thursday, shoppers, tourists, workers and residents doing their thing, largely unaware of the efficient provisioning and servicing that happened earlier to support their needs:
Excellent ideas Patrick. Where and how do we start to achieve this?
Really good post. I think in NZ we are so caught up on speed limit discussions that we are ignoring an obvious solution in not having these type of time restrictions.
Isn’t a pity that none of the pretty pictures of Auckland Central City never includes pictures of any proposed upgrade of Hobson Street between Wellesley St West and Motorway access. A high-density residential area with 3rd world footpaths and unenforced speed limits and red light running.
How long do we have to wait?
The focus is always about bring people into the centre never about those of us who live here.
Yes a Hobson St upgrade is long overdue. Especially as the buses are about to move back to Albert, freeing up a lane, that clearly isn’r needed for traffic. Has worked just fine without it for years.
Yes. This has gone on far too long. It should become an election issue, given the enormous impacts of keeping the area so unhealthy and the many times it’s been politicians who’ve swiped the money away from doing this work – often to spend it on precincts of the city centre they wish to showcase to the world instead.
“… will need to respond to this shift in the streets’
function.
It is likely the changes will involve:
– An initial reduction in the nubmer of
vehicle lanes and improved intersections,
possibly followed by two-way travel in
some sections of both streets
– Wider footpaths as part of a linear
park, and the introduction of mid-block
crossings
– Continued space for on-street parking at
certain times of the day
– Direct access for pedestrians into new
and improved developments with active
frontages being planted in the road reserve
down to the harbour.
– Trees that can readh a signifcant stature being
planted in the road reserve.
– A confirmed clear view line northwards down to the harbour.
The redesign will have a transformational
effect not only on Hobson and Nelson
Streets, but also on the entire western
quarter of the city centre. It will improve
pedestrian and cycling access to and from
the city centre for Freemans Bay, Ponsonby
and areas further west, as well as create a
the city for those entering and leaving via
the motorway network.
Implementing this transformation will
involve a combination of small, incremental
steps and work on the major actions. For
and pedestrian crossing response times will
reduce walking times in the area and could
be implemented relatively quickly. Work
need not be expensive; the carriageway
could be narrowed with little change to the
current streetscape. Given the length of
both streets, the redesigns are likely to be
rolled out progressively from north to south,
from the sea to the motorway.”
Removal of the Downtown Carport shold help with this, one step forward.
Great post Patrick, there is so much we can do that is low cost but effective in changing the way our streets are experienced and this is one! I also love that its simple in terms of infrastructure. The investment for this one goes into talking to business and courier companies !
Time, as David Bowie so eloquently stated…”falls wanking to the floor”. And Pink Floyd had a good tune about it too.
Maybe we can steal something from the colonisers?
TIME! After all, they stole so much from us!
bah humbug
Yes to this and it would hopefully lead to a more considered approach to how retail operates. A couple of years ago I was shopping on Queen St with my daughter, an item she wanted was not available in her size. The shop said don’t worry we can courier one over from Sylvie Park branch – they said we could come back in 30mins or so and they would have it at no extra cost. We chose not to purchase and add another unnecessary car trip to Queen St.
Great post, was thinking about this recently watching the cleaners in
Te Komititanga Square every morning with their industrial water blasters while everyone is walking across the square in peak morning hours.
Surely they can do this at like 6am?
And then the clogged lane by Daily Bread full of deliveries at all hours of the day.
We have this setup in Christchurch in the city center facing the Avon, complete with the automatic bollards.
And that Queen ST – Vulcan lane picture is such a ridiculous situation – couriers constantly parking on Vulcan lane driving across footpath and bike lane. Why is there a curb ramp for vehicles there. Who designs this crap?
Walk for 20 mins around the CBD at any time of the day and you will be able to take 20+ pictures like this.
My main complication I’d think would need to be considered would be that some of these City Centre streets have access to varying types of car parking buildings – either for public (a bit rarer) or, more commonly, for parking for the odd residential building with car parking accessed from these streets. I suspect it will not go over well (and probably not be legal) if those people suddenly couldn’t enter exit their cars during the “pedestrian times”. So any closure method would need to acknowledge them, maybe by giving them an ability of passing through the bollard system even when raised…
Yes, there’s too many parking entrances everywhere, except Queen of course, as a result of long standing council policy.
High St has no off street parking access. Start there.
Start there, yes, but we also need AT and AC to tackle this comprehensively.
As you say, council policy is at fault, so it needs to change now, both to prevent further harm and to lay out how they transition will occur and how it can be swift.
And AT is at fault too. They are ideologically opposed to parking enforcement as a means of managing safety, liveability and modeshare. And they misunderstand and misrepresent public sentiment and democratic process on the topic. For example, the bollocks they manufactured about having “lost” the public mandate established with the 2015 Parking Strategy.
Often ‘ consultation’ re AC & AT involves multi choice, loaded, ambiguous questions that can be interpreted how they want.
Editorial Policy of NZ Herald is one of the obstacles to improvement. Heart of the City trying to coordinate traders’ needs and wishes, as well as AC consulting with parking building owners and residents’ parking managers to agree on management opportunities and times/ controls is making rather slow progress. This is rather like herding cats, chickens and ferrets.
Worth remembering, for our ambitions, is that Strøget (compare with The Stray, Harrogate) means unfenced wandering. This will always need management, to ensure respect of needs and safety of all the users of common spaces. As an alternative to physical barriers, it depends on goodwill, care, responsibility and (sometimes) meaningful penalties.
The reason this hasn’t happened in the CBD is simple. There are a small but vocal group of retailers supported by Heart of the City who push their agenda and view during consultation, and rather than saying “thanks for your input, we’re going to do something different and will work with you to make it work” AT and Council get all scared and then compromise on everything so it doesn’t really achieve anything. They are holding back progress.
Interesting report from Palmy – Traffic calming measures on one street have made 2000 vehicles disappear and decreased the proportion of heavy vehicles (page 278). Of course, they may now be using other roads. But it’s a great outcome for the schools along this route. https://palmerstonnorth.infocouncil.biz/Open/2024/11/EGCCC_20241120_AGN_11221_AT.PDF
Good post Patrick. Yes, no reason we couldn’t do this in Auckland. Time & specific vehicle use controlled bollards phased in. The picture with the urgent courier blocking the Queen St active mode path makes me realise how delivery companies (especially in the city) need to adapt more to use e-cargo bikes etc. Some area already doing this of course and reaping the benefits I’m sure.
To a degree this is what the old ACC and AT have put in place with the city centre shared zones. (Elliot, Darby, Federal, Fort, Jean Batten, Lorne etc.)
They have somewhat of the look that Patrick is talking about with the level surfaces and reduced focus on road markings and traffic signs. In mostly unrealised hope that businesses will seek to activate the spaces.
The roads remain open to traffic at all times; but the drivers have to share with the pedestrians and go at their pace if the pedestrians walk in the middle (which I always do for the fun of exercising this power over the vehicles). Parking is generally banned most of the day, but the whole area can be used as a loading zone from 6am – 11am.
‘The roads remain open to traffic at all times’
Therefore the complete opposite of what i describe above.
No, you are clearly not paying attention – obviously the complete opposite of what you describe is a motorway – a place dedicated entirely to motor vehicles where pedestrians are banned – except occasionally with permits like hikoi or marathon.
A shared zone is a distinct step in the direction you are describing. And maybe the best we are likely to be able to achieve given how many buildings have vehicle entrances to them and the general right to move on public roads – including by motor vehicle except under limited legal criteria.
Just seemed odd to not mention them in this article.
Why would anyone accept what you call the “look” … when we could have a properly functioning space?
City centre spaces ‘shared’ by vehicles and people, at all times of day, are a failed experiment even in cities where enforcement is effective.
Patrick has vision. It is from vision and great design that a thriving, people friendly city can be created.
Attitudes like “maybe the best we are likely to be able to achieve” are the barriers holding AT and AC back.
Good research and good ideas. Maybe this could be applied to the shared space at Westgate (Norwest on the new side). Would be a good idea to totally remove cars ability to go through this area, most car drivers dont get the concept of what the space is & think they have right of way. would make it a lot more people friendly
Sadly, the shared space was planned before NZTA insisted that Gunton Drive could only be one way northbound so that all southbound traffic has to go through that space. It would have worked best as a two lane road with a zebra crossing. Sometimes, don’t push a concept where it won’t fit.
Vehicle traffic can still use Tawhia to head back out to the south. They see Maki St as a shortcut ( because it has been allowed to be one) And my observation of shortcuts is that drivers tend to see it as opportunity to speed through as well. People on foot in this ‘shared space’ are not given much consideration or care.
What a simple way to improve life in the center of cities nz wide .The bollards look like a simple cheap option .If this was to happen city centers would become buzzing full of life again .I would live in the center if there were no cars .
Rising bollards are anything but cheap.
Rising bollards are obviously more expensive than static ones. But are way cheaper than full street rebuilds, and once installed are way cheaper to operate than the temporary traffic management AT demands for events.
Spending a relatively small amount of capex budget to save years of opex is wise.
Bollards are in operation in Queenstown’s Beach Street after the big 2021-23 rebuild. The building reinvestment and shopping signals were strong and fast.
However Arrowtown did a traffic-free trial two months ago and it doesn’t appear to be returning.
And Wanaka is fully car-dominated across the waterfront despite huge cycling use.
George Street Dunedin is a real revelation with much more restrained traffic now, in a very slow one way single lane design.
Invercargill town centre is very traffic-calmed and a big shopper experience step-up.
Fort Street, when redone, had this restriction – deliveries til 11am.
Problem is, zero enforcement.
Enforcement is woke, and makes baby newspaper editors cry.
Also, AT apparently lose money on enforcement, due to low fines. So they don’t do it enough (and create bigger costs for the whole transport network, including themselves). It makes -me- cry how we have normalised that cars will always come first.
Sometimes it feels we enforce scooters more than anything else.
AT blames the low fines… but there’s much about their enforcement practices that are inefficient and counterproductive.
It is AT who have grown the problem, leading to higher costs and to inconsiderate driver attitudes, not the level the fines are set at.