Month: February 2019

Limewatch: A vote of confidence by Christchurch City Council

At their 28 February meeting, Christchurch City Councillors voted in favour of staff recommendations to:

  • issue a 12 month permit for Lime Technology (Lime’s initial trial permit was due to expire on the day of this meeting)
  • increase the cap on Lime e-scooters from 700 to 1,000
  • charge an annual rental fee of $86.25 per e-scooter – reflecting the public space occupied

Councillors also approved a citywide cap of 1,600 e-scooters, and delegated to staff the authority to amend the citywide cap, and also the cap that may be applied to an individual permit.

Lime scooters in Papanui

Papanui Councillor Mike Davidson proposed a lower cap for Lime of half the citywide cap. He argued that competition could be stifled by allowing first-mover Lime too much market share, but this amendment was not carried. Continue reading “Limewatch: A vote of confidence by Christchurch City Council”

Recap: Council decision on the draft CNC Downstream Effects Mitigation Plan

The Christchurch Northern Corridor (CNC) Downstream Effects Mitigation Plan was on the Christchurch City Council’s agenda on 14 February 2019. The plan is required as a condition of the consent for the CNC project. Here’s a summary of what transpired at that meeting…

CNC map

Agenda item 4 – Presentation of petitions

Mark Wilson and Jason Harvey presented a petition of 2512 signatures in opposition to the Downstream Effects Mitigation Plan (DEMP). (Watch the video online.) Mark concluded by asking the council to “…not receive the draft plan, and requesting it go back to the community, with a much larger scope with people at its core, not cars”. After some discussion around procedural matters, the Council resolved to receive the petition and refer it to the Papanui-Innes and Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Boards. Continue reading “Recap: Council decision on the draft CNC Downstream Effects Mitigation Plan”

Opinion: urban design in the Papanui area

sbtp-profile-pic-thumbnail-512.jpgThe Council Service Centre in Papanui now provides postal services, following NZ Post’s closure of their branch on Main North Road. Last year the Langdons Quarter expansion at Northlands opened, along with new office and retail developments further up Langdons Road. Feedback on these changes has been overwhelmingly positive on Think Papanui, but an unintended consequence is the impact on pedestrian and vehicle movements at the busy Restell St / Langdons Rd / Sisson Dr intersection – an area with narrow footpaths, limited sightlines, and adjacent school, mall, and other commercial activity. Crossing the road at this intersection can be dicey for pedestrians, and of course the risk increases for children or those with limited sight or mobility.

An increase in pedestrian and vehicle movements raises another issue – is this just a space to pass through, or does it need to accommodate other needs? As a mixing space between all the different activities in the area, if there was a pedestrian-friendly open space this could be Papanui’s ‘town square’. Unfortunately there is no such open space, and in recent years the experience of some users hasn’t always been positive. Continue reading “Opinion: urban design in the Papanui area”

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