A guest post from Andy Smith of Living Streets.
During autumn Janette Sadik-Khan spoke in Auckland of her Summer Streets programme in New York.
That city opens streets to walking and cycling on 3 consecutive Saturdays during summer. This means citizens can play, run, walk and bike on 11km of vehicle free streets. The streets of NYC are alive and full of activity like the 3,000 people who heard her talk at the Aotea Centre in May this year.
The Mayor enthused over her ideas and Ludo Campbell-Reid panted after her success.
Auckland has tested closing the street during the Rugby World Cup, so it can be done here. Now is the time to do it again this summer and the next. Summer is only 3 months away.
I have asked Heart of the City if they would support closing High Street and CEO Alex Sweny said yes.
Janette Sadik-Khan used a few barrels, cones and tape to close the streets and has done this for 2 years. We don’t need to fill them with entertainment or sport. We need streets empty of cars, buses and trucks. The people will create a living street.
So how are the plans coming along Ludo Campbell-Reid and Len Brown?
Andy Smith
Walking Advocate