It seems that Wellington's famous wind and hills, along with this winter's extreme rain are the main things people dislike about walking in Wellington. Unfortunately, there is not too much that the Council can do about this but I did like the suggestion that they should put an air conditioned glass dome over the city and set the temperature to 22.5c - do you think I should include this in my submission?
The survey question on which city in New Zealand is the most walkable reveals a clear preference for Christchurch due to its flatness. However more than 50% of the responses indicate that Wellington is the most walkable (whatever 'walkable' actually means as pointed out by one person).
Many of the comments in the survey are worth sharing - so I will post them separately, please have a look.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
The hills in Wellington are one of our best assets. For example, the great vista's accross Cook Straight make a whezzy ascent worthwhile. Those bushy gully's that make the city seems a millon miles away are priceless. Christchuch and Palmerston North should be jealous!
The council can help by opening up more tracks to enable walkers, bikers, and users of all ages and stages to get out and enjoy the fantastic landscape at our doorstep. This can be done in a low impact way by spreading the demand accros the whole region.
What do you enjoy about walking in Wellington?
The eclectic nature of the people, the shops and the buildings. The Green Belt being visible and available from the CBD. Good street signs, a feeling of safety until about 11pm. Walking from an upmarket city shop to the waterfront in a short spcae of time. Access to unbuilt water views. Having Parliament and Te Papa a walk away from each other.The manners of the people keeping to the left when they are walking.
What do you dislike about walking in Wellington?
The toilets in Pigeon/Aotea? Park and Lambton Quay. Lack of reasonably priced an close access for elderley (but not disabled) adults. They can't get a disabled ticket but walking long distances or parking a long way away is difficult.
What would you like to see the Wellington City Council do to make walking in Wellington more pleasant?
Give seniors a reduction or discount ticket for parking. Or free parking for elderley on weekends. They still want to go to movies and see concerts but being able to park close and at a resonable price is often difficult. A few more historical signs for people to read. Such as the importance of a particular site. The ones in the suburbs make great reading and I would like to see a few more around Wellington similar to the one at Premier House. Circuit traffic lights to stop traffic more frequently for walkers. Standing in the rain at unsheltered intersections while about eight lanes go through the motions (Molesworth/Tinakori Rd intersection) doesn't encourage all of those people who are walking to walk. Run half price buses at weekends from suburbs. Up the bus timetables so they are running every 10 minutes, particulary in the weekends so people can get to events, especially families. Have more visible helpers (can't remeber their names, walking wardens?) on the streets that have the power to operate drop off points around the city that are safe for getting elderley or young children out of car while driver goes to find a park. I can't just pull up anywhere to drop off my elderley parents as they need help to get out ot the car.
What do you enjoy about walking in Wellington?
Easy to get around, as long as you know the "good" routes
What do you dislike about walking in Wellington?
1. Trying to walk against the "traffic" from the railway station, i.e. if you walk (the "wrong" way) down the Quays first thing in the morning, it's difficult to make headway because of the amount of people coming the other way from the Railway Station. It's the same in reverse at night. 2. The way bus drivers ignore red lights, particularly at the Manners St/Willis St/Boulcott St junction.
What would you like to see the Wellington City Council do to make walking in Wellington more pleasant?
Make bus drivers obey traffic signals. Worst spot is Manners/Willis. Bus drivers use Red as a speed up signal to get across.
What do you dislike about walking in Wellington?
Some areas are harder to get to on foot. For example, there is no easy way to walk up to Brooklyn (no clear pavement on part of the road), no easy way to walk from CBD to Newtown (the short way has limited pavement).
What would you like to see the Wellington City Council do to make walking in Wellington more pleasant?
Have road signs for pedestrians, to take people through the less-visited parts and the less known shortcuts.
Wouldn't it be great to be able to walk/run from Wellington to Petone?
A group of us are keen to promote an attractive walking and cycling path on the SEAWARD side of the railway between Petone foreshore and Ngauranga and then on to the Kaiwharawhara Estuary by the Ferry Terminal.
Come along to discuss on Saturday October 12th from 2 to 4 at the Loaves & Fishes - see www.greatharbourway.org.nz for more details.
One of the other issues that drives me nuts when walking my dog on footpaths – particularly those on the waterfront at Lyall Bay – is the number of cyclists who cycle on the footpath (and I’m talking adults here, not kids who might be excused) and come flying up behind me with no warning shout or ringing bell. Apart from the fact that it’s a wide road with plenty of space for cyclists anyway so they shouldn’t be on the footpath, the dog’s aimless wandering following smells means that one day there is likely to be an almighty collision !. (no, I don’t believe in heeling her for the whole walk but I have taught her to “keep left” if I have sufficient warning of oncoming traffic or overtakers).
I totally agree about dog poo on footpaths, I hate those people who don’t pickup and make the rest of us dog-owners look bad. It would be nice though if the council provided bins to put the bags in (as they do in Masterton) so you don’t have to carry the ruddy thing for miles !
Post a Comment