Media Release

Newmarket Business Association

21 March 2007

Council’s proposed changes for Queen Street too little too late

“Queen Street has well and truly lost its mo-jo and the Auckland City Council’s announcement to merely tinker around its traffic concerns won’t be nearly enough to return the street to its former glory,” says head of the Newmarket Business Association, Cameron Brewer.

“Back in the 1970s, when Heart of the City CEO Alex Swney got his last haircut, the place was humming. It was truly Auckland’s Golden Mile. Council’s promise today that Queen Street is set to return as “New Zealand’s premier street” is sadly very misguided. The horse has already bolted.

“What’s more, council’s minor measures announced today such as turning P15 parking spaces into loading bays won’t be enough to eradicate the chaos. The methodology of the Queen Street upgrade has been wrong from the start.”

Mr Brewer promises that Broadway’s imminent footpath upgrade won’t be making the same mistakes.

“Observers note that Queen Street has made the mistake of working on both sides of the road at once. Their construction sequencing is quite random and so few know what section will be attended to next. Areas under construction are being dug up and left too long and the project managers have been reluctant to change their cause despite the many complaints.

“We are going to be a lot more pragmatic in Newmarket. The sequencing of construction will be quite obvious so businesses will see the works coming. Paving stones won't be uplifted with the ground left exposed and surrounded by barriers for long periods of time. Any areas under construction will be actively worked on and closed up as soon as possible. Only one side of Broadway will be under construction at once and the project managers will be very hands on with businesses and the public alike.

"Broadway will also be advantaged by the fact that there are few residents within earshot. Hence, there will be considerable night-time work which will significantly speed up the construction period (a 12-month timeframe) and minimalise commercial disruption.

"If not handled right Broadway's upgrade also has the potential to cause real headaches because out footpaths are relatively narrow and a staggering 40,000 cars go down Broadway each day. Without doubt there will be disruption. However we are determined not to replicate Queen Street's litany of errors. What's more our Timaru Bluestone will look a lot better than their cheaper Chinese Bluestone,” said Mr Brewer.

Ends

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