In April and May 2023, we asked for your feedback on 2 options to improve the streetscape of Maling Road, Canterbury.

Councillors recently decided to progress the design development of Option 1 for the upgrade of Maling Road - one-way traffic between Canterbury Road and Bryson Street.

Background

In 2020, we asked our community how we could improve Maling Road in Canterbury. Over 1,200 people shared their ideas. We used these to create our Maling Road Place Plan and streetscape concept designs.

The main improvements we wanted to achieve included:

• resurfaced and wider footpaths along the street
• more street trees and garden beds
• improved street furniture and lighting design
• safer pedestrian crossings
• ways to slow traffic and increase safety for people
• upgraded bicycle parking options.

Council identified 2 options to achieve these improvements to Maling Road.

About the consultation

We invited feedback on the 2 options for improvements. We received 836 survey responses from our community and local businesses, including 21 traders. We also received 23 written submissions.

Both street upgrade options received significant support.

Comments in the survey focused on:

• Traffic implications: Across both options, people were concerned about traffic congestion and interested in alleviating it. There was support for traffic-calming measures.
• Parking considerations: It was important to minimise the loss of parking.
• Public space: There was a desire for more trees and gardens, better lighting and signage.
• Pedestrian safety benefits: People see safety as a need and want us to improve it.

The feedback we received will help guide our final design, as we work find the right balance between competing priorities.

Councillors' decision

Councillors decided to progress the design development of Option 1, at the Services Delegated Committee meeting on 11 September. You can learn more about the meeting by visiting our Past meeting minutes and agendas page. You can also view the YouTube video recording of the meeting.

What was proposed

Option 1: Create a new one-way section

Create a new one-way section on Maling Road, from the Canterbury Road intersection up to Bryson Street.

This option helps to improve safety to the area by:

• reducing the amount of traffic and making it more predictable with the one-way intersection entrance between Canterbury Road and Bryson Street
• slowing traffic, possibly through pavement treatments and reducing the speed limit
• creating new raised pedestrian crossings.

This option also helps to invigorate the area by:

• developing around 300m² of new public space (more space compared to option 2) for greenery, public seating and outdoor dining
• redesigning the intersection entrance to Maling Road from Canterbury Road to create new seating areas.

Option 1 will result in the loss of 7 on-road car parking spaces and traffic diversion into nearby streets.

We will look at more traffic management measures to manage the impact of this traffic diversion, as detailed in the Council meeting on 11 September, and seek approvals and/or advocate with the Department of Transport and Planning as needed.

These measures may include:

• removing existing left-turn slip lane to access Canterbury Road
• reducing speed in the one-way part of Maling Road
• warning signs at the southern part of Maling Road to redirect road users who want to access Canterbury Road.

For more information on the impact to traffic, you can read the 'Maling Road Traffic and Transport Findings' in the Document library on this page.

Option 2: Keep the road two-way

This option helps improve safety to the area by:

• slowing traffic, possibly through pavement treatment and reducing the speed limit
• creating new raised pedestrian crossings.

This option also helps to invigorate the area by:

• developing approximately 215m² of new public space (less space than option 1) for greenery, public seating and outdoor dining
• improving existing garden beds and retaining walls in the intersection entrance to Maling Road from Canterbury Road.

Option 2 would result in the loss of 11 on-road car parking spaces.