He told councillors he received a safety audit report for the changes, but it barely mentioned concerns raised by road users, such as people feeling unsafe getting in and out of parked cars.
Some speakers praised the new layout, which is said to be a key part of the planned city cycling network.
James Irwin – from Palmerston North Streets Ahead, which advocates for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users – said he was impressed with the city’s vision promoting these.
“It’s a place where kids can become independent and resilient because they’re not dependent on parents every time they go somewhere.
“I think that’s a wonderful vision and I think it’s a place where everyone would want to live.
“This change to Featherston Street – it’s not just a cycleway – is being constructed with that vision in mind.”
Doing nothing would make driving less palatable in the long run if vehicle congestion increased, Irwin said.
“I think change is hard and that’s particularly for people who feel personally impacted by the change, so people who use Featherston Street a lot.
“However, if we’re going to achieve the city that is our vision we need to make these changes.”
Not so, said Allen Birchler. He owns Piano Services, another business affected by the changes.
He said he was a cyclist himself, but was unimpressed with what had happened. He also received guarantees about mitigation for his business that hadn’t been followed through.
“This project is a dog’s breakfast. I have a business to operate, a residential property directly affected by these changes, and I will do what I have to do to continue to operate no matter how hard you try and make it,” Birchler told councillors.