New Brighton Mall

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31094, 24 June 1966, Page 10

New Brighton Mall

The Christchurch Civic Trust’s support for making Seaview road, New Brighton, into a pedestrian mall is interesting but probably premature. The proposal was described in detail by Mr P. J. Beaven earlier this month to the New Brighton Pier and Foreshore Association. Seaview road shops might well be planned with a view to some future development of this kind. The lateral growth of many businesses towards the parallel streets and adjacent parking areas lends itself to the eventual exclusion of motor traffic from the central street. Nevertheless, for many years the street will continue to have a role on Saturdays which is very different from its character as a relatively quiet suburban shopping centre on other days of the week. The experimental closing of Seaview road for several hours on a Saturday, as proposed by the trust this week, would be a worthwhile test of the scheme. Retailers and shoppers would have to allow for the absence of extra parking space which eventually would have to accompany the regular closing of the street On Saturdays the foot--paths are often inadequate for the comfortable movement of pedestrians. The almost continuous flow of motor traffic and its usually fruitless circulation in search of main-street parking restrict the safe and easy movement of shoppers. The lack of shelter from a fairly persistent sea breeze may limit the use that would be made of the centre of the road as foreseen by Mr Beaven; and in spite of the growth of the eastern suburbs the time for a permanent pedestrian mall seems remote. Before that time arrives the likely benefits of the exclusion of cars and buses from Seaview road east of Union street on Saturdays could be measured by the trial suggested by the trust.