Getting There - On Foot, By Cycle - Priority 10 Part 2

A strategy to advance walking and cycling in New Zealand transport

February 2005

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Wellington's Manners Mall benefits from a CPTED approach 

Manners Mall - a pedestrian mall in Wellington - is a key part of the city's vibrant inner city. However, growing safety concerns meant that the public avoided the mall at times, particularly at night. As part of a recent upgrade of the Mall, the Wellington City Council decided to use a 'Crime Prevention through Environmental Design' (CPTED) approach.

This aims to discourage crime and improve people's perception of safety through environmental design changes.

Four key ideas were promoted under the CPTED approach:

• the involvement of young people in the design of the Mall to create a space that is relevant for young people and to help promote a sense of ownership
• footpaths being widened and street furniture arranged to minimise 'bottlenecks' where potential conflict tends to arise - in other words, people were given the choice to walk around potential trouble
• arranging seating so as to promote natural surveillance and to minimise 'territoriality' where groups of people 'take over' parts of the mall
• replacing the standard yellow sodium street lighting with brighter metal halide lights to create a more natural white light and improve visibility and people's perception of safety. 

Wellington's Manners Mall benefits from a CPTED approach.

Security cameras were also installed for a twelve-month trial, but these were viewed as a back-up to providing a safer, more congenial and inviting environment, rather than as a substitute for it.

Although no formal evaluation had been undertaken by early 2005, feedback on the changes from the police and retailers has been positive.


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• Walking and Cycling as strategy launched

Download the:

• Strategy Document (PDF v7.0, 2156kb) 
• Questions and Answers (PDF v7.0, 35kb)  
• Report on Consultation (PDF v7.0, 200kb)