People are the priority for city streets and public spaces

World-renowned Danish architect and urban designer Jan Gehl has given Auckland city a much-improved report card on its ongoing work to deliver a more pedestrian friendly city centre with initiatives that could be replicated across the region.

Jan Gehl conducted Auckland’s first Public Life Survey of the city based on pedestrian surveys and observational research on how people interact and behave in public spaces. He concluded that Auckland City Council’s focus on urban design had produced streetscape upgrades of international standard where the needs of people had been given priority over cars.

The survey concluded that Auckland City Council has made great progress. However, there was still a great deal to be done to support further opportunities for public activity and make the central city more enjoyable for children and families.

In a report to the City Development Committee, Ludo Campbell-Reid, group manager of urban design, said it was critical the city encouraged more cycle lanes, markets, playgrounds, skate parks and athletic spaces and that children were encouraged to visit the city centre. “Children are a litmus test. If you design a city for children, you create a city for all,” he said. “People not vehicles are the economic lifeblood of a successful, vibrant city.”

Case studies from London, Copenhagen, Barcelona and Melbourne offered inspiring models of cities that have aggressively transformed from car-oriented cities to people focused cities through incremental changes that over time improve pedestrian amenity.

The data gathered from the local research will form part of recommendations to the new Auckland Council and relevant council controlled organisations (CCOs).

City Development Committee chairperson, Councillor Aaron Bhatnagar said the report showed that projects recently developed were contributing to a transformed city centre.

“The high calibre upgrades of Queen Street, Vulcan Lane, the Viaduct, St Patrick’s Square and the soon to be re-opened Aotea Square exemplify the benefit of the council’s investment to improve the city centre experience for residents, businesses and visitors alike,” he said.

Four “shared space” projects – for Fort Street/Commerce Street, Lorne, Elliott and Darby streets – are ground breaking in urban design terms. Due for completion before Rugby World Cup 2011 they will showcase the best the city has to offer.

In another report to the committee, Mr Campbell-Reid recorded how the council had acted to remove street clutter, dramatically reducing the visual and physical paraphernalia of redundant signs, road markings, billboards, bollards and parking poles.

He said that while great strides had taken place, Auckland’s streets generally fell short of the standards of an internationally competitive world-class city. Significant work was required for Auckland to lift the bar and deal with this type of pollution that blighted the urban landscape.

Successes to date had produced benefits of increased visual amenity, pedestrian safety, improved business patronage and cost savings to ratepayers in reduced maintenance for street signs and other street assets.

Examples included the:

o Kingsland regulatory parking zone trial (reducing signs in New North Road by over 50%)
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o targeted enforcement of commercial street signage
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o CBD shared space and Queen Street streetscape upgrades
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o Wynyard Quarter redevelopment where the North Wharf promenade and Jellicoe Street will be free of clutter
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o CBD streetscape guidelines
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o Newmarket upgrades in Teed and Osborne streets replacing parking with wider pavements for outdoor dining
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o street trading and outdoor dining policy reducing logos and commercial signage on outdoor screens and other outdoor furniture
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Mr Campbell-Reid called for formation of a “clutter-busting” taskforce to champion clutter removal, working with the new council, local boards, utility companies and the Transport Agency across the newly combined region.

Councillor Bhatnagar welcomed the report saying that unnecessary signage and other clutter was reducing the character and historical identity of too many local town centres and visitor destinations.

ENDS

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