City's retail restart in spotlight

Planning  is under way for how physical distancing could work in Dunedin city streets as retail outlets reopen.

But while Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins pushed for encouraging greater use of the city centre during the forthcoming Covid-19 Alert Level 2 "in a way that manages the transport network more safely", Cr Rachel Elder said it was "critical to engage" with those with most at stake.

She pushed for a survey of central city business owners and residents of Dunedin about how to bring people back downtown.

"If you think about where retailers are right now they’re basically ‘post-traumatic stress’ — they’re in a really hard place and I believe it’s critical at this juncture to be talking with them, giving them good information, and consulting with them about how we go forward.

"Because they are feeling quite unsafe and part of the process we have to do is to actually: one, give them the information about the choices they’ve got; and two, talk to them about their ideas, so they feel they’ve got some sense of input and control. Because at the moment they don’t feel like they’ve got any control of what’s happening to them.

"It’s about respecting where they are at psychologically and getting their input."

At the first public meeting of the Dunedin City Council since the country went into lockdown, Mr Hawkins pushed for council staff to next week present options for temporary measures including temporary reductions in speed limits, shared spaces, traffic calming, "those sorts of things", to encourage people back into the city centre while ensuring physical distancing.

"But most importantly I think this could also allow our businesses in the city centre to expand their capacity by taking up more footpath space than they currently are able to, because the streets would potentially be safe enough for all road users to use.

"So you’d be able to walk around a greater number of cafe tables quite easily."

No details of any proposals were made public at yesterday’s meeting, but council chief executive Sue Bidrose said a survey of businesses was already planned through Enterprise Dunedin.

Cr Jules Radich wanted assurances that central-city parking would be made a priority.

Cr Lee Vandervis said there should not be undue reliance on city buses.

Most people would come into town to go shopping in a car — "in a nice safe bubble", he said.

"What I am not so sure about is the second-most usual way for people to come into town to go shopping and that is in a bus.

"I’ve heard buses referred to as ‘Covid-coaches’ because there is no physical distancing between you and the driver as you get on."

He asked whether drivers of buses ought to have screens like those in place in supermarkets or whether air conditioning on the bus could be filtered.

Cr Carmen Houlahan said she did not want to "inflame" people in the central city and the Octagon who had already had a stressful time with the pre-lockdown trial pedestrianisation.

"I think we’re talking about shared space — shared slow space for everybody."

Dr Bidrose said it was not about trying to do contentious things.

"This is about being really encouraging about trying to get people back into town."

Cr Andrew Whiley said he was concerned that what Mr Hawkins was suggesting would "hinder traffic movement and accessibility" to the central business district and said he wanted to see a budget for any proposed changes to be included in a report.

Further, he was conscious of the fact the city was heading into the winter months when there would be a much reduced pedestrian traffic flow in the city.

hamish.maclean@odt.co.nz