Let’s Get Wellington Moving (“LGWM”) and the Wellington City Council (“WCC”) want to reduce Thorndon Quay to a commuter thoroughfare by:

1. Removing 50% of all Thorndon Quay parking (this occurred in September ).

2. Introducing dedicated bus lanes during AM and PM peak hours, which reduce available parking by a further 25% when the PM dedicated bus lane is operating (i.e. leaving only 25% of the original Thorndon Quay parking capacity available for use).

3. Introducing a poorly designed two-way bike lane (with 1.4m wide lanes in either direction) on the western side of Thorndon Quay. 

Click on the link to see a summary of the proposed changes. Detailed description of the proposed changes and the issues they will create is also available via this link. Our submission against the above changes can be found here.  

WHY IS THIS BAD? 

Parking is critical to the viability of most Thorndon Quay businesses: 

Removing 145 parks: has caused demand to exceed capacity by a significant margin, making it difficult and sometimes impossible, for customers, suppliers and staff to find a park so that they can access local businesses. 

Lost revenue: and operational difficulties that have arisen as a result, are set to force many local businesses to close, or relocate to areas like Petone, Hutt Valley and Porirua, where parking is readily available.

Proposed bus lanes: will further reduce parking capacity in exchange for a negligible improvement in AM peak bus travel times. 

Lost amenity: the mass exodus of popular local businesses will result in large pockets of unoccupied space, creating dead zones that erode street level activity and amenity.   

Proposed cycle lane’s: poor design and placement will create significant safety hazards for all users. During peak many cyclists will still ride on the road as its narrow and confined design makes overtaking dangerous. 

WHAT ARE WE SEEKING?

We are seeking four very reasonable outcomes: 

1. Subject to terms of reference that we put forward, WCC is to pay for an independent review of: (a) Thorndon Quay car park utilisation rates; and (b) the social, economic and safety impact that the removal of 145 parks has and will have on Thorndon Quay. 
2. WCC to reinstate the vast majority of the 145 car parks that were removed in September this year in the interim (e.g. angle parking between Davis Street to the Train Station can remain converted to parallel parking as per our 2018 agreement with WCC). 
3. LGWM to engage in meaningful and legally compliant consultation with local stakeholders regarding the proposed re-development of Thorndon Quay roading infrastructure.
4. LGWM to produce a revised Thorndon Quay design that is pragmatic and balances everyones interests in a manner that is appropriate, fair, and adequately accounts for social, economic and safety interests of the Thorndon Quay community.