Newcastle’s famous Darby Street has undergone a six-month trial for an extended outdoor dining initiative, and it looks like it could be here to stay.
City of Newcastle is set to vote next week on whether to retain the popular raised outdoor dining deck, which was installed as part of the NSW Government’s Streets as Shared Spaces initiative.
The trial aimed to encourage increased visitation and trade along Darby Street after the impacts of COVID-19 while also improving pedestrian and cyclist safety. The extensive consultation with businesses, residents, and the community before and during the trial showed strong support for the improvements.
According to the Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, in the first three months of the trial, there was a 67% increase in visitation, a 13% increase in cyclists using Darby Street, and average vehicle speeds were reduced from 42km/h to 30km/h.
“In the first three months of the trial we saw a 67% increase in visitation, a 13% increase in cyclists using Darby Street, and average vehicle speeds north of Council Street were reduced from 42km/h to 30km/h,” Cr Nelmes said.
“Overall, most people (69%) who provided feedback in our online survey support retaining the trial infrastructure.
“This trial gave us a unique opportunity to try new things and test ideas for community spaces and we can take these learnings to other commercial areas across the Newcastle LGA
If the infrastructure is retained, noise generated by speed humps and cyclist safety concerns would be addressed with a revised design for the traffic-calming infrastructure. The public will have the chance to review and comment on the revised design when it is placed on public exhibition in April.
The Streets as Shared Spaces program (Round 2) provided a $500,000 grant from the NSW Government to make the trial possible, along with funding from the City of Newcastle’s Urban Centres Program.
Council will consider the future of the trial infrastructure at next week’s Council meeting, but with such positive feedback and results, it’s looking promising for the extended outdoor dining options to stay on Newcastle’s renowned eat street.
