This People's Panel survey provided feedback on the footpath courtesy zone trial, which began in August 2019 and applied to a busy Dunedin pedestrian area. Feedback from the survey will be reported to the Council and inform decisions about whether to continue the footpath courtesy zone.
Some of the key findings were:
- Just over half of respondents (53%) were not aware of the footpath courtesy zone, while 43% were aware and 5% were unsure.
- Two thirds of respondents think the footpath courtesy zone is a good idea, while 20% were unsure and 13% did not think it was a good idea.
- Just under half of respondents (48%) had not been involved in or observed any incident relating to e-scooters (e.g. fallen off, crash, near miss) in the previous six months. Under a third (29%) had been involved in a pedestrian incident, 26% had observed a pedestrian incident and 19% had observed a rider incident.
- On the number of e-scooter incidents, most respondents had noticed no change (42%) or were unsure (40%). 10% noticed more incidents and 7% noticed fewer incidents.
- More than half of respondents (55%) did not found footpath users to be more respectful and courteous in the last six months. More than one third (37%) were unsure and 8% did find footpath users to be more respectful.
- On safety as a pedestrian, responses were split with more than one third of respondents (38%) feeling a little or very unsafe as a pedestrian using the footpath courtesy zone. Slightly fewer (34%) feel fairly safe or very safe. 21% are neutral.
- On the 15km per hour speed limit, responses were split with 42% saying 15km is too fast, 36% saying 15km is appropriate and 22% selecting ‘other’. Most ‘other’ views were that e-scooters should not be on the footpath, the speed limit should be compulsory and that people did not know what was appropriate.
- On compliance with the voluntary speed limit, responses were split with 37% unsure, 28% saying users were sometimes compliant with the voluntary speed limit, 15% saying compliance was rare and 12% saying most were compliant.
- On continuing the footpath courtesy zone past the trial period, most respondents (54%) think it should continue, 29% are unsure and 17% do not think it should continue.
- On extending the footpath courtesy zone to other parts of the city, most respondents (51%) think it should be extended, 31% are unsure and 18% do not think it should be extended.