Queen St: Lobby group taking Auckland Council to court over pedestrianisation

Tuesday, 4 May 2021

A video overview of AT's original plan which would have created 13 new pedestrian crossings and removed 40 car parking spaces in the St Heliers town centre (Video first published April 10, 2019).

A lobby group is taking Auckland Council to the High Court over the planned pedestrianisation of Queen Street.

Save the Queen Street Society (SQSS), comprised of inner-city businesses and landlords, has previously described the plan for more pedestrian-friendly design between Shortland and Customs streets as a “disgrace”.

Auckland Council said discussions on Tuesday between itself and the lobby group failed to resolve differences between the two parties.

The plan for the northern end of the street includes pavements being widened with timber decking, new street furniture, and green spaces with native planting and a new pocket park.

An artist impression of how the lower end of Auckland's Queen St could look.

“Auckland Council and Auckland Transport have in good faith, attempted to work with SQSS on the issues it has raised over a number of meetings across several days. Unfortunately, common ground could not be reached without compromising the outcome for Queen Street and the thousands of Aucklanders who live, work, study and shop there,” said Mayor Phil Goff.

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Meanwhile, a spokesman for SQSS said it was unfortunate the group had been unable to reach a resolution with Auckland Council.

”We are disappointed and what remains is for the court to decide. We will see them in court tomorrow at 10am.”

SQSS blames a makeshift reduction of general traffic lanes, installed during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, for some of the streets economic woes, with a large number of smaller stores now vacant.

In the group’s statement of claim, seen by Stuff, it argued there was insufficient consultation by the council or Auckland Transport, in the steps from the temporary Covid-19 changes, to making them the basis for the more permanent upcoming trial.

Goff said it is unfortunate that the legal action initiated by SQSS could delay the works and impose legal costs on the ratepayer.

He said it will also delay removal of Covid-response works that SQSS has called for and the planned enhancements to the northern end of Queen Street.

Goff said the vision is for Queen street to be a great place for people, “not simply a thoroughfare for cars”.

He added that Council will not compromise on the City Centre Masterplan which received 76 per cent support during consultation.

“Auckland Council’s responsibility is to deliver on the plan for Queen Street Valley which was widely consulted on and unanimously agreed in the City Centre Masterplan (CCMP) in 2020,” he said.