The destruction of Thornton Quay

The Post reports:

It promised a better experience for pedestrians, attractive spaces for all, faster bus times, a quality safe cycling route into the city and ultimately a bigger spend by tourists on accommodation, food, and other activities.

But business owners along Wellington’s Thorndon Quay, where tens of millions of dollars of “improvements” have just been completed, say the project has all but destroyed them.

“It’s ghost town stuff,” said Steve Piper, owner of Co Kids childcare, “it’s dying”.

Piper said he had been forced to lease five secured car parks from the neighbouring hotel to ensure parents using the facility had somewhere to safely park, following a “near death miss accident” when a bus wiped out a car door as a pregnant mother with two children was about to exit her vehicle, and “endless complaints” from parents about abusive and fast cyclists.

A newly opened bus lane had reduced car park numbers even further, with 60 unable to be used between 6.30am and 9.30am.

They destroyed most of the car parks there, and surprise no one goes there anymore.

They now want to do the same thing to Lambton Quay!