After weeks of negotiations amid outcry from businesses and other affected parties, a compromise has been reached.
Cruise ship bus passengers will be dropped off and picked up in Princes St, and different levels of access will be trialled, the council announced yesterday.
The move was welcomed by stakeholders, who believed it reached a suitable compromise for all parties.
It followed a decision by councillors last week to request a review of the trial — many voiced support for a partial closure.
Council city services general manager Sandy Graham said the overall visitor experience had been the focus of stakeholder groups’ meetings, along with ensuring the needs of businesses and event requirements were met.
Ms Graham said from February 17 to March 23, the plan was to trial different levels of access.
The upper Octagon would be open for part of the time and the central carriageway reopened from March 10.
"All the measures we are putting in place are designed to create a vibrant, bustling and safe Octagon," she said.
"Feedback will be gathered through cruise ship passenger surveys, traffic monitoring and retail surveys to ascertain public feeling."
That was requested by the council to help it make long-term decisions about the area, she said.
Ritchies business development manager Malcolm Budd said the change was a good compromise.
He had initially raised safety concerns about the proposed stop outside the Toitu Otago Settlers Museum, and was pleased the council had listened.
Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dougal McGowan was also pleased.
"There’s been some good modifications from the original plan," he said.
While it was not exactly what all parties had wanted, it was better than it was before, he said.
