Share your voice

In May 2021, we conducted the annual survey that captures the community’s perception of safety in the central city and helps ensure the actions and activities occurring as part of our Central City Safety Strategy are still working or what areas need to be focused on.

Over four weeks, we received 799 submissions. Some of the themes as to why people feel safe in our central city included crowds, security officers including the City Safe team and good lighting in certain parts of the central city. Some of the themes as to why people feel unsafe in our central city included the presence of homeless people, anti-social behaviour including fights, gatherings of youths loitering, intoxicated people and lack of road safety.

The results were reported to the Community Committee meeting in August 2021 for their review and will be used to inform Council on priorities and activities to focus on improving safety in the central city for the next financial year.

In response to a NZ Police request to address illegal and inappropriate behaviour in The Boulevard area (Te Rapa), we proposed a night-time Light Motor Vehicle Prohibition, under the Hamilton Traffic Bylaw 2015. This proposal was consulted on with the businesses and property owners located in this area on these streets: The Boulevard, Kahu Crescent, Norman Hayward Place, Parkinson Place, Udy Place, Barnett Place, De Leeuw Place and Simsey Place. 

The businesses and property owners in this area were in favour of supporting the Light Motor Vehicle Prohibition, which means cars, utes and vans are banned from these streets between the hours of 9pm and 4am, unless they are there on legitimate business.

The Light Motor Vehicle Prohibition was accepted and will be brought into effect in 2021.

In January/February 2021, we asked the community if Korikori Green (a road in Rototuna North connecting North City Road and Kimbrae Drive) should be declared a pedestrian mall. This would mean a section of Korikori Green is closed to through traffic, unless prior permission from Council has been given to open Korikori Green to vehicles in relation to an event in Korikori Park or the surrounding area. The proposed change supports the development of the Rototuna Village, and the increasing number of people who travel through this area on foot or bike, and our focus on making our transport network safe for all.

Over four weeks we received 154 submissions. Of those, 73% agreed with Council’s proposal to declare a section of Korikori Green a pedestrian mall. Some of the top themes to support this change were centred around making it safer for everyone; that it would prevent traffic issues such as speeding, those who use it as a short cut and when they result in traffic jams; that it will prevent cars using it to race along; and that it will promote walking and cycling.

The pedestrian mall declaration and closure of Korikori Green to through traffic was brought into force from June 2021. This means the electronic bollards midway along Korikori Green are now raised. They can be lowered when vehicles need access to the park, such as when there are large sports events.