The Times Australia
The Times World News

.
The Times Real Estate

.

10 images show just how attractive Australian shopping strips can be without cars

  • Written by Matthew Mclaughlin, Research Fellow, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia
10 images show just how attractive Australian shopping strips can be without cars

Think of a typical Australian shopping street: parked cars occupy the prime public space in front of the shops. But we could instead create a place that’s good for business[1] and is beautiful too. It would attract customers while being good for our physical, mental and social health.

This isn’t a new idea[2]. Realising they can make better use of the space next to businesses to boost sales, shopping centres design places to attract people. That’s why they provide seats, air-conditioning, music, artwork, cafes and plants outside their shops.

Online shopping is even comfier, but it lacks human contact.

We know what works[3] to create people-friendly local shopping streets. Safer speeds[4], improving lighting[5], replacing parking with “parklets[6]”, planting street trees[7] and widening pavements[8] — these are just some of the ways.

Below we’ll discuss four reasons to reallocate parking space next to shops. But first, we’ve re-imagined ten car-centric Australian streets to illustrate the benefits of reallocating space to people … to shoppers, diners, riders, children, prams and the mobility-impaired.

Read more: Japan's Old Enough and Australia's Bluey remind us our kids are no longer ‘free range’ – but we can remake our neighbourhoods[9]

Transforming 10 car-centric shopping streets

These re-imagined streets show thriving liveable communities, supporting friends and families to meet, creating local jobs and providing access to fresh food. (Click on and move the sliders to compare the actual and re-imagined streets.)

1. Chapel Street, Windsor, Melbourne, Victoria

2. Beaumont Street, Hamilton, Newcastle, New South Wales

3. Darby Street, Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW

4. Hall Street, Bondi, Sydney, NSW

5. Princes Highway, Woonona, Wollongong, NSW

6. Belvidere Street, Belmont, Perth, Western Australia

7. Oxford Street, Leederville, Perth, WA

8a. Parklet, South Terrace, Fremantle, Perth, WA

8b. South Terrace, Fremantle, Perth, WA

9. Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Queensland

The elephant in the room

Typically a car transports just one or two customers. A parked[10] car occupies about 13 square metres. That’s about the size of an elephant[11] lying down.

In the same space, 20 shoppers can be walking, 12 diners can sit outside a cafe, or 12 customers can park their bikes.

Before re-imagining the streets, we calculated that car parking (27%) and travel lanes (46%) took up nearly three-quarters of the street space, comparable to other research[12].

Reducing car parking and travel lanes allowed us to increase green space (up 18%), seating (up 17%) and footpaths (up 6%) in our re-imagined streets.

Read more: Using valuable inner-city land for car parking? In a housing crisis, that just doesn’t add up[13]

Creating beautiful[14] and healthy shopping streets[15] that provide safe and equitable access is key to attracting more business[16].

Encouraging motorists to park on neighbouring side streets or in off-street car parks can free up space for people. In any case, motorists rarely find parking right out the front of a shop — the (rising) number and size of cars makes that impossible.

Parking on side streets along Belvidere Street, Redcliffe, Perth, Australia. The red lines show where the majority of on-street parking is. The black shaded area shows where parking spaces can be better used for people and businesses.

4 reasons to redesign shopping streets

Just this week, Perth’s lord mayor proposed ripping out a pedestrian mall in the CBD[17] and opening it to cars. But this logic doesn’t stack up to get more customers.

It’s important to remember: cars don’t buy things from shops, people do. Shopping streets that prioritise people and beauty over cars will attract higher sales[18], higher retail rental values[19] and reduced shop vacancy[20] rates.

Read more: Parking isn't as important for restaurants as the owners think it is[21]

But where will shoppers park? Shoppers are already used to walking short distances from parking on side streets and in off-street car parks.

Switching to other modes of transport for short journeys to the shops is another option.

We now know that COVID-19 is airborne[22] — meaning we can inhale[23] the virus. Improving ventilation is key to reducing the spread, but this can be a challenge indoors[24].

The evidence suggests gathering outdoors is safer than indoors.

Almost half[25] of Australians have a family dog, so being able to have a coffee outside opens up further business benefits of outdoor dining space.

Trialling more people-friendly streets can be a great way to demonstrate their benefits. NSW[26] has already run trials of “streets as shared spaces” encouraging outdoor dining.

Read more: What next for parklets? It doesn't have to be a permanent switch back to parking[27]

Great streets[28] are enjoyable and safe places for kids and their families. Streets like this make it easier to get active and have fun.

We should listen to kids’ ideas[29] when it comes to building healthy streets — they want their local streets to be active and fun places to meet their friends.

Shopping streets should[30] make everyone feel welcome. By this we mean streets that:

  • are safe and easy to cross
  • have shade and shelter
  • provide rest stops and benches
  • are quiet, walkable and rideable
  • have interesting things to see and do
  • are relaxing
  • have fresh, clean air.

More than half[31] of city car journeys are shorter than 5km — and many are even shorter. Ongoing under-investment[32] in safe walking and cycling means Australians feel forced into driving short distances, even though they might prefer[33] to walk or cycle.

Increasing walking[34] is a cost-effective investment to boost Australia’s physical activity levels. It would reduce the one in ten[35] deaths and A$15.6 billion-a-year[36] burden of inactivity.

Riding or walking to the shops can be a relaxing and enjoyable experience, and shopping streets can be destinations that people enjoy walking around, staying a while and spending more.

When Australians have better access to local destinations, they walk[37] more.

More people on the streets builds a sense of community, essential for optimal mental health.

Take-home message

For shopping streets to compete with larger shopping centres[38], they need to be more beautiful[39] places to visit, which provide safe and inclusive access for people to spend money locally.

Towns and cities around the world are realising this. Tens of thousands of on-street car parking spaces are being reallocated to people, including in Auckland[40], Stockholm[41], Paris[42], Amsterdam[43], Milan[44]. Australia can learn from their successes.

The authors encourage the open access reuse of the re-imagined streets. They are freely available to download[45] in multiple formats.

References

  1. ^ good for business (resources.heartfoundation.org.au)
  2. ^ isn’t a new idea (theconversation.com)
  3. ^ what works (www.healthyactivebydesign.com.au)
  4. ^ speeds (theconversation.com)
  5. ^ lighting (theconversation.com)
  6. ^ parklets (theconversation.com)
  7. ^ street trees (theconversation.com)
  8. ^ widening pavements (theconversation.com)
  9. ^ Japan's Old Enough and Australia's Bluey remind us our kids are no longer ‘free range’ – but we can remake our neighbourhoods (theconversation.com)
  10. ^ parked (theconversation.com)
  11. ^ elephant (www.dimensions.com)
  12. ^ other research (doi.org)
  13. ^ Using valuable inner-city land for car parking? In a housing crisis, that just doesn’t add up (theconversation.com)
  14. ^ beautiful (www.streetlevelaustralia.org)
  15. ^ healthy shopping streets (www.healthystreets.com)
  16. ^ business (resources.heartfoundation.org.au)
  17. ^ ripping out a pedestrian mall in the CBD (twitter.com)
  18. ^ higher sales (content.tfl.gov.uk)
  19. ^ retail rental values (resources.heartfoundation.org.au)
  20. ^ shop vacancy (content.tfl.gov.uk)
  21. ^ Parking isn't as important for restaurants as the owners think it is (theconversation.com)
  22. ^ airborne (theconversation.com)
  23. ^ inhale (theconversation.com)
  24. ^ challenge indoors (theconversation.com)
  25. ^ half (www.aph.gov.au)
  26. ^ NSW (www.dpie.nsw.gov.au)
  27. ^ What next for parklets? It doesn't have to be a permanent switch back to parking (theconversation.com)
  28. ^ Great streets (www.healthystreets.com)
  29. ^ listen to kids’ ideas (www.telethonkids.org.au)
  30. ^ should (www.healthystreets.com)
  31. ^ More than half (www.vichealth.vic.gov.au)
  32. ^ under-investment (theconversation.com)
  33. ^ prefer (theconversation.com)
  34. ^ walking (bjsm.bmj.com)
  35. ^ one in ten (www.dx.doi.org)
  36. ^ A$15.6 billion-a-year (doi.org)
  37. ^ walk (www.sciencedirect.com)
  38. ^ shopping centres (theconversation.com)
  39. ^ beautiful (www.streetlevelaustralia.org)
  40. ^ Auckland (twitter.com)
  41. ^ Stockholm (twitter.com)
  42. ^ Paris (twitter.com)
  43. ^ Amsterdam (twitter.com)
  44. ^ Milan (twitter.com)
  45. ^ download (drive.google.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/10-images-show-just-how-attractive-australian-shopping-strips-can-be-without-cars-186460

The Times Features

Discover the Charm of a Girl's White Dress

Key Highlights Timeless elegance: White dresses feel pure and have classic charm. They are perfect for many types of events. Versatile styles: You can pick from lace, embroid...

Top Medical Grade Red Light Therapy Devices in Australia

Key Highlights Lumitter™ has advanced red light therapy devices that combine new ideas with wellness. Red light therapy helps lower pain and swelling and boosts skin health. ...

Why Regional Small Businesses in Bendigo Deserve Better Access to Finance in 2025

In the heart of regional Victoria, Bendigo has long stood as a beacon of innovation, resilience and community spirit. As we step further into 2025, the importance of nurturing sm...

Is It Time for a Deep Cleaning? Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

Most people know they should visit the dentist for a regular check-up and cleaning every six months. But sometimes, a standard cleaning isn’t enough. When plaque and tartar build...

The Hidden Meaning Behind Popular Engagement Ring Cuts

When it comes to engagement rings, the cut of the diamond is not just about aesthetics. Each shape carries its own symbolism and significance, making it an important decision for...

Annual Health Exams in the Office: How They Can Reduce Sick Days and Healthcare Costs

Regular health check-ups, especially annual health exams in the office, can significantly impact the overall well-being of your workforce. A proactive approach to employee health...

Times Magazine

The Essential Guide to Transforming Office Spaces for Maximum Efficiency

Why Office Fitouts MatterA well-designed office can make all the difference in productivity, employee satisfaction, and client impressions. Businesses of all sizes are investing in updated office spaces to create environments that foster collaborat...

The A/B Testing Revolution: How AI Optimized Landing Pages Without Human Input

A/B testing was always integral to the web-based marketing world. Was there a button that converted better? Marketing could pit one against the other and see which option worked better. This was always through human observation, and over time, as d...

Using Countdown Timers in Email: Do They Really Increase Conversions?

In a world that's always on, where marketers are attempting to entice a subscriber and get them to convert on the same screen with one email, the power of urgency is sometimes the essential element needed. One of the most popular ways to create urg...

Types of Software Consultants

In today's technology-driven world, businesses often seek the expertise of software consultants to navigate complex software needs. There are several types of software consultants, including solution architects, project managers, and user experienc...

CWU Assistive Tech Hub is Changing Lives: Win a Free Rollator Walker This Easter!

🌟 Mobility. Independence. Community. All in One. This Easter, the CWU Assistive Tech Hub is pleased to support the Banyule community by giving away a rollator walker. The giveaway will take place during the Macleod Village Easter Egg Hunt & Ma...

"Eternal Nurture" by Cara Barilla: A Timeless Collection of Wisdom and Healing

Renowned Sydney-born author and educator Cara Barilla has released her latest book, Eternal Nurture, a profound collection of inspirational quotes designed to support mindfulness, emotional healing, and personal growth. With a deep commitment to ...

LayBy Shopping