KEY POINTS:
Standing below the palm trees and near the motif paving, nzherald.co.nz asked how Aucklanders were coping with the Queen Street roadworks.
The multi-million dollar works have caused major disruption to all users of the street and are not due to finish until March 2008.
SHOE SHOP WORKERS
Mistry Shoe Repairs and Engraving assistant manager Dipesh Mistry said he's fixing about 30 per cent more heeled shoes because of the uneven footpaths on Queen Street.
He said stilettos can get damaged when worn on uneven concrete and especially if they slip between pavers.
Further up-town, John Wallace of shoe repairer Mr Minit said business has dropped off by about 15 per cent.
"My business relies on foot traffic," he said.
Mr Wallace said the paving surface has been good for business with heels getting damaged after slipping between the slabs.
"They could do the whole country in those."
CYCLIST
Philipe Mello works downtown and lives in Grey Lynn. He cycles up and down Queen Street every day.
"I almost had an accident just now," Mr Mello said.
He said sometimes he runs out of lane space with the busy traffic but he'd rather use Queen Street then taking another route.
Mr Mello said Queen Street is a direct route for him.
TAXI DRIVER
Taxi driver Anant Raju says passengers are paying twice as much to get up and down Queen Street with the road works.
Mr Raju said before the road works started it would cost about $10 to get from downtown to Karangahape Road but now it costs $20.
"It's really in a big mess. It's really terrible," he said.
Mr Raju said there is only one cab stand on the street now, near Myer's Park.
"We do take other routes which cost money because they're further away. It's a big, big, big, big problem," he said.
PEDESTRIANS
Monique Wotherspoon walks Queen Street everyday on her way to work.
"It's not too bad but the footpath is narrow. It's too crowded," she said.
She said palm trees don't suit Queen Street - the Viaduct with it's Pacific look, yes - but not Queen Street.
"Thirty-six million for some footpath and trees is a lot of money."
Another pedestrian, Veronica Caso, commended the council.
"If you're going to do something - do it properly. I can put up with it."
She said the design inlaid amongst the pavers was not too "boring" and the palm trees gave the street a "tropical look".
David did not want to give his last name but was also up-beat on the arrival of the wider footpaths in 2008.
But he said at the moment they're a bit "wobbly" and "narrow".
He said the cost was fair enough and making the footpaths wider for pedestrians is a good move.
"I'd be quite happy if they got rid of the cars completely," he said.
