Wellington City has the highest percentage of people commuting to work on foot in Australia and New Zealand. This number is rising, against many worldwide trends. What are the key characteristics of Wellington for pedestrians and how significant is the role of the City Council? This paper considers topography, street layout, weather and the pedestrian structure of the inner city. Council interventions including examples of street furniture, signage and public art are exemplified as key to creating “Living Streets”. The roles of maps and signs in the legibility of Wellington are considered. Possible future improvements are also touched upon. The relationship of the City Council to pedestrian, resident and disability advocacy groups is described in terms of their contribution to improving accessibility. This paper highlights processes and outcomes that local government should pursue, illustrated by specific examples from Wellington. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E212706.
Samenvatting