Orchard Road: Can it be a pedestrian street?
Shoppers welcome 'no road traffic' idea; motorists fear it will cause jams
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An example of a pedestrian shopping street is La Rambla in Barcelona, Spain. In contrast, shoppers vie for space on Orchard Road (above), as seen last Saturday. A business group wants to make part of the road a pedestrian walkway regularly. -- PHOTOS: DESMOND LIM, GETTY IMAGES
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An example of a pedestrian shopping street is La Rambla (above) in Barcelona, Spain. In contrast, shoppers vie for space on Orchard Road, as seen last Saturday. A business group wants to make part of the road a pedestrian walkway regularly. -- PHOTOS: DESMOND LIM, GETTY IMAGES
An example of a pedestrian shopping street is La Rambla in Barcelona, Spain. In contrast, shoppers vie for space on Orchard Road (above), as seen last Saturday. A business group wants to make part of the road a pedestrian walkway regularly. -- PHOTOS: DESMOND LIM, GETTY IMAGES
An example of a pedestrian shopping street is La Rambla (above) in Barcelona, Spain. In contrast, shoppers vie for space on Orchard Road, as seen last Saturday. A business group wants to make part of the road a pedestrian walkway regularly. -- PHOTOS: DESMOND LIM, GETTY IMAGES
Drivers think turning Orchard Road into a pedestrian street is impractical, but tourists and pedestrians are keen to see this happen.
For a better shopping experience, the Orchard Road Business Association (Orba) is planning to propose to the authorities that a 600m stretch of Orchard Road be closed to motorists regularly to create a pedestrian walkway.
This is one of six suggestions in Orba's long-term proposal, The Sunday Times reported on Sunday. The proposal, Orchard Road 2020, will be submitted next year.
The others include having more parks and leisure spots, better signage and curbing the bird problem. Orba is also hoping that the pedestrian crossing at Paterson Road can be reopened for street-level crossing.
Background story
THE TOURIST
In the UK, lots of shopping areas have been 'pedestrianised'... You don't have to be looking left and right for the cars. You can just walk and shop at your leisure.
- Ms Linda Harrison, 50
THE DRIVER
If they close the roads, it will create bottlenecks around the Orchard Road area and cause congestion.
- Business manager Adrian Tan, 35, who drives to Orchard Road once a week
THE PEDESTRIAN
As a pedestrian, I'll definitely be glad, but the drivers will be upset.... As the saying goes, when you try to please everybody, you end up pleasing nobody.
- Retiree Tan Kim Hock, 74
