Key pedestrian principles

Public realm provides a setting for community life and includes all parts of the urban environment that people can experience or access, such as plazas and squares, waterfronts and open spaces (such as parks and reserves), laneways and walkways, civic buildings, malls and arcades.

Because public realm is open and accessible to everyone and provide access across towns and cities, it influences how permeable the pedestrian network can be, and therefore needs to be planned and designed to cater for the needs of people walking (with or without assistance).

Specific pedestrian considerations for these types of public realm are outlined below but the principles that are common to all include:  

  • Should consider the seven key characteristics that focus on the needs of all pedestrians of safe, inclusive, comfortable, direct, legible, connected and attractive.
  • Should meet universal design principles and follow Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles.
  • Need to design out or minimise potential for harm, including appropriately designed level changes, non-slip surfaces.
  • Pedestrian routes free from obstacles and trip hazards, be well lit and limited opportunity for entrapment.
  • Public spaces should have obvious pedestrian routes that are easy to understand and navigable using wayfinding.

According to the Value of Urban Design, The economic, environmental and social benefits of urban design(external link) (Ministry for the Environment, 2005), high quality public realm can:

  • increase the use of public space and support associated business
  • encourage greater participation in community and cultural activities
  • enhance personal safety.

PNG: Pedestrian network characteristics

PNG: Universal design principles

Pedestrian only streets

Pedestrian only streets are closed to vehicles at most times of the day with essential vehicle access by operable bollard/managed access regime. Pedestrian only streets support high density of commercial and residential land-use. For this type of street to be successful it should have very-high volumes of people walking across and along the street, have street furniture that supports street activities and places to dwell.

Pedestrian-only street with people strolling and buildings lining the road.

A pedestrian only street – Lower Queen Street, Auckland. (Photo: Patrícia Vasconcelos)

Pedestrian only streets such as pedestrian malls, and plazas and squares are destinations and often link to other streets and buildings too. These public spaces require consideration of people walking, in particular: 

  • Pedestrian routes through the space that can be visible to other users of the space and ideally overlooked by people in adjacent buildings. Landscaping can hinder the visibility of people so needs to be carefully designed.
  • They require clear routes that are on direct lines between various destinations, such as entrances to public buildings (ie not blocked by an area/object that creates a long diversion between destinations).
  • Step free options (not just stairs/steps).
  • Street furniture design should be sympathetic to the surrounding pedestrian environment and the needs of people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
  • Street furniture located to avoid walking pinch points.
  • Shade and shelter as appropriate.
  • Bollard or street furniture elements to restrict and manage vehicular access.

To enable more inclusive pedestrian malls, plazas and squares, they should be designed with consideration of the specific guidance below. 

PNG: Landscaping

PNG: Ramps and stairs

PNG: Street furniture

PNG: Safe from other people

A parking lot and a building with a tree in the middle. Street/plaza interface with steps and ramp option.

Street/plaza interface with steps and ramp option, York, UK. (Photo: Jeanette Ward)

An urban commercial street with stairs and rails

Stair balustrades and planter box create pinch point for pedestrians, Brisbane. (Photo: Jeanette Ward)

Waterfronts and open spaces

Waterfront areas and open spaces (including parks and reserves) need to be designed for people walking with consideration of the following aspects:

  • Pedestrian entry/exit points to parks and reserves should be well defined and kept as clear of obstacles as possible. In some circumstances it may be appropriate to emphasise the point with signage.
  • Shared paths are of an appropriate width for safe use; or consider pedestrian and cycle separation (marked or separated paths).
  • Consider path gradient in undulating terrain so that the path can be used by people of all ages and abilities. A zig zag layout may be required to achieve this. 

PNG: Paths

PNG: Wayfinding

PNG: Lighting

PNG: Safe from other people

Laneways and walkways

Providing connections for people walking and wheeling between streets assists the permeability of the pedestrian network, making for more direct journeys. These are often in the form of laneways in town or city centres and walkways in residential and industrial areas. These facilities should be encouraged and designed accordingly to the key pedestrian design principles.

Laneways

Laneways are generally in a city or town centre and have a high place value and can be fully pedestrianised or provide a movement function for vehicles to service buildings or activities within the laneway, either full time or at defined times. They are part of the pedestrian network within large blocks, connecting streets and often connecting to other laneways as shown below.

Diagram showing Urban area featuring interconnected laneways enhancing walkability and urban connectivity

Example of a city centre with laneways between streets to improve permeability (Source: Aotearoa Urban Street Planning and Design Guide)

They provide placemaking and greening opportunities making them attractive for people to walk and dwell.

City street in Auckland with hanging lights, greenery, and ambient lighting.

Attractive laneway in Auckland with greenery and effect lighting. (Photo: Jeanette Ward)

Man relaxing on bench in Nelson city street with street art and outdoor seating options.

Laneway in Nelson with outdoor sitting opportunities, street art and landscaping. (Photo: Mark Edwards)

The width of a laneway is less than a street and they generally have a flush surface between buildings that allows flexible use of the space. The example below shows a laneway where a café is using the space for outdoor seating with furniture that can be easily relocated or removed. The example also shows that space is available for vehicle access. It is important to provide an accessible zone for visually disabled pedestrians, typically with one building edge providing the defined edge of the zone.

Outdoor dining space and vehicle access in Christchurch laneway, with a sidewalk and bench.

Laneway in Christchurch with outdoor dining space and vehicle access for servicing. (Photo: Jeanette Ward)

Walkways

Walkways might feature a cycle path but do not allow vehicle access. Sometimes walkways are referred to as walking/cycling accessways in district plans. 

The provision of walkways between streets, and between streets and cul-de-sac heads improves walkability in residential and industrial areas.

A diagram of a road with houses and trees, illustrating cul de sac linkage requirements.

Cul-de-sac linkage requirements. (Source: Whangarei District Council Urban Design Guidelines for Residential Development)

Historically walkways have been designed as very narrow spaces surrounded with high solid fences creating potentially unsafe environments and being prone to graffiti and vandalism. As such, they are often avoided by some pedestrians.

Location map featuring suboptimal narrow, long, kinked accessway.

Example of a narrow, long and kinked accessway – this is not best practice.

To mitigate the issues described above, both Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and Universal design principles should be followed when planning and designing walkways to ensure a good and safer pedestrian facility. Often district plans have also some provisions, such as:

  • Short length.
  • Wide (ideally greater then 8m).
  • Visible from end to end (ie, straight).
  • Low /permeable fences to encourage passive surveillance.
  • Attractive but with appropriate landscaping so that people cannot hide.
  • Well-lit according to AS/NZS 1158. Less frequented routes may be an exception.

PNG: Walkability/safe

PNG: Universal design principles

PNG: District plan provisions