Some good news yesterday with Auckland Transport announcing that Freyberg Square will be changed to a pedestrian mall following their consultation a few months ago. It’s a simple but important change that will see the retractable bollards defaulted to being raised and to only lowered be lowered for emergencies or for a special exception. The square will become pedestrian only from 15 October.

AT received 665 pieces of feedback for the proposal with 95% of respondents agreeing with it.

The most common reasons for opposing the plan are the same age-old reasons, that people might have to drive around the block, past a carparking building that is not full, in the hope that during that time someone left to enable them to find a car park outside the door the visiting.

It’s no surprise that 95% of the public overwhelmingly support this change. Back in 2015, prior to the upgrade, 84% of submitters supported the move but the council got cold feet after lobbying by a few vocal businesses (one of which has since moved).

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