Council collects foot-traffic information

The impact on Broadway Ave from Farmers shifting to The Plaza is being studied by Palmerston North City Council, but foot traffic comparisons won't be available until the end of the year.

Pedestrian counts done so far indicate that Farmers was a big drawcard to Broadway before opening up at The Plaza instead in March this year.

City road planner David Lane said there had been a lot of anecdotal comment about declining foot traffic in Broadway during The Plaza shopping mall's $93 million redevelopment, but that the council wanted facts.

At the end of the year, the council will be able to compare pedestrian counts with data it collected in November and December last year.

Broadway is Palmerston North's traditional main shopping street.

The fate of the street has become an election issue as mayoral candidate Mark Bell-Booth puts pressure on incumbent Jono Naylor.

The Manawatu Chamber of Commerce is also looking to make Broadway a major focus of the organisation.

The chamber will hold its strategy planning meeting this week and spokesman Paul O'Brien said it was likely Broadway would be upgraded from "an awareness project to a major project".

Broadway retailers spoken to by the Manawatu Standard yesterday were upbeat about their prospects.

Ballentynes fashion store manager Caroline Barnett said more customers visited the shop after Farmers moved out of the street.

"A lot of our clientele don't like The Plaza," she said.

"They say it's too light and bright and they get disoriented at Farmers."

Mrs Barnett said trade had dropped at her firm's King St store.

Broadway was a good location for people looking to get a start in retail, she said.

GQ Clothing owner Ralph Bare doubted the usefulness of the council survey.

"I believe business is down throughout the country."

Customers appreciated the ease of getting a park at Broadway, he said.

The data collected by the council shows a much sharper decline in Broadway pedestrian numbers from summer to winter outside the old Farmers store than outside the Downtown mall.

Data collected in November and December this year will provide a summer-against-summer comparison.

- © Fairfax NZ News