![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/copy-of-queensdrive-jpg.webp\")
Street furniture was part of a trial in the Dunedin Town Belt. Photo: Supplied <\/p>\nStreet furniture was part of a trial in the Dunedin Town Belt. Photo: Supplied <\/p>\n
No changes are planned for walking and cycling access in Dunedin\u2019s Town Belt after completion of a controversial trial closure to through traffic.<\/p>\n
Planter boxes, street furniture, table tennis tables, chalk games and \u201cwheely fun\u201d were trialled by the Dunedin City Council for three months while sections of Queens Dr and Braid Rd were closed to most vehicles.<\/p>\n
The trial from January 26 to April 19 received mixed feedback \u2014\u00a0of 1546 submissions, 896 were opposed to permanently closing part of Queens Dr to vehicles, 599 supported such a closure and 51 were unsure or did not indicate a preference, the council said.<\/p>\n
A report about the project, described as an \u201cactive travel trial\u201d,\u00a0is to be discussed by councillors on Thursday. <\/p>\n
They have been asked to note that, following feedback, \u201cno further trials or changes to walking and cycling access are planned for the Town Belt\u201d.<\/p>\n
The trial was pitched as \u201can opportunity to reimagine this section of the Town Belt as an active, people-focused space \u2014 a place to enjoy the reserve as a park, rather than a vehicle thoroughfare\u201d.<\/p>\n
It was contentious during the city council\u2019s by-election this year, won by Cr Jo Galer, who in April described Queens Dr as \u201cPlay Street \u2026\u00a0the stuff of your future nightmares driving to work\u201d.<\/p>\n
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Ecologist Paul Pope sought to promote the recreational, heritage and biodiversity values of Dunedin’s Town Belt in his submission to the city council about a travel trial. Photo: Linda Robertson <\/p>\n
The trial cost the council and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi about $14,000 each.<\/p>\n
\u201cSupportive feedback commonly identified improved amenity, reduced vehicle conflict, opportunities for walking and cycling and enjoyment of the Town Belt environment,\u201d the council\u2019s engagement and trial summary report said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOpposing feedback commonly identified concerns regarding vehicle access, travel convenience, traffic redistribution\u00a0and council spending priorities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ecologist and environmental historian Paul Pope was one person who supported the trial and permanently closing part of Queens Dr to cars.<\/p>\n
The Town Belt occupied a central place in the landscape and ecological framework of the city, he wrote in his\u00a0 submission.<\/p>\n
It was first and foremost a reserve, he wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr Pope is also the Otago Peninsula Community Board chairman and he wrote\u00a0 Dunedin was missing out on important opportunities for promotion of recreational, historical, educational and tourism events in the Town Belt.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrankly, the current drive is dowdy, poorly marked and poorly advertised,\u201d he wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Denise Benwell was among the submitters against, calling the trial a waste of money.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Queens Drive \u2026\u00a0 and that is what was intended \u2026\u00a0 a drive,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n
The engagement and trial summary report said levels of trust in council decision-making processes were a recurring theme in social media discussions.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome commenters expressed concern that the trial outcome had been predetermined or that temporary changes could become permanent regardless of feedback received.\u201d<\/p>\n
The council said the trial was partly about assessing transport outcomes and also\u00a0developing a better understanding of \u201cthe broader relationship between vehicle access, recreation, biodiversity experience, safety, public amenity\u00a0and community use within the Town Belt environment\u201d.<\/p>\n
It was intended to provide the council with evidence and observations \u201cto help inform future decision-making regarding the role and function of Queens Dr\u00a0within the Dunedin Town Belt\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny future changes would remain subject to further technical investigation, community engagement, funding considerations\u00a0and council approval through the appropriate decision-making processes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Feedback indicated support for picnic tables, seating, table tennis tables\u00a0and other recreation-focused amenities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Street furniture was part of a trial in the Dunedin Town Belt. Photo: Supplied No changes are planned…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":572725,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[42,43,40,38,41,39],"class_list":["post-572724","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-headlines","tag-news","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/572724","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=572724"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/572724\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/572725"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=572724"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=572724"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=572724"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}