Support for turning Auckland's Queen St into a pedestrian mall

Outisde the Whitcoulls flagship store on Queen Street. Photo / Dean Purcell

Two-thirds of 323 Aucklanders surveyed support turning busy Queen St into a pedestrian mall.

Sixty four per cent wanted more pedestrian access to Queen St, with either no traffic at all or shared by pedestrians and vehicles with business in the area, such as delivery vans.

UMR Research said 33 per cent of those wanted Queen St closed to all traffic and made into a pedestrian mall, 31 per cent preferred a shared zone and 32 per cent wanted to keep the street as it is.

Research director Gavin White said support for changing Queen St was solid across all demographics, including residence, gender and income, although it was stronger among 45-59-year-olds, with 72 per cent wanting some change and over 60-year-olds, with 69 per cent wanting change.

He said the Auckland response showed the passion of people who wanted a change in Queen St.

"It says a lot about the general dissatisfaction about how Queen St is at the moment.

The survey, done last month, was part of a nationwide survey of 1000 people on a range of questions although the Queen St questions were restricted to Auckland participants.

The margin of error for the Auckland part was plus or minus 5.5 per cent.

- NZPA