A majority of Reid Street merchants favour moves to pedestrianise, according to a survey conducted by the Chamber of Commerce.

The survey found that 60 percent of merchants were in favour of improving the pedestrian environment on the lower portion of the street. While, on a separate question, 47 percent said they were in favour of leaving the street as it is versus 53 percent who want it changed.

Support for pedestrianisation jumped on a third question, which specified that the eight parking spaces lost on the street would be replaced with designated two-to-three-hour parking spots in the City Hall car park for shoppers.

With such a system in place, 67 percent of merchants said they were in favour of pedestrianisation.

Reid Street merchants were asked the three questions to try and gauge their attitudes toward the plan, said George Grundmuller, the chairman of the Visitor-Oriented Retail Division of the Chamber of Commerce. "We're trying to determine where we are in terms of this and determine a stance for the Visitor Oriented Retail Division,'' he said.

Merchants were also encouraged to offer comments on the pedestrianisation issue. "Some say that we should move ahead as fast as we can,'' said Mr.

Grundmuller.'' But the main issue of concern continues to be the parking spots that will be lost, he said. "Parking is essential for shoppers and (people expressed) concerns about how it would work.'' Fervent concerns about the loss of the one-hour parking spaces currently available at that end of Reid Street were voiced in a Letter to the Editor last Friday.

The letter -- undersigned by A.S. Cooper's, The English Sport Shop, St.

Michael's, Aston & Gunn, Smith's, Trimingham's and the Stationery Store -- suggested that for merchants, those parking spaces are worth more than three additional cruise ships.

Parking concerns key to Reid Street pedestrianisation "By survey, there are 30 cars on average, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.; and 40 on Saturdays, using local zones from 9 a.m., all limited to 60 minutes.

This totals 1,560 private cars per week. At only one shopper per car, each for the full 60 minutes, for 52 weeks, the parking contribution is 81,120 consumer visits per annum,'' said the letter.

"To put into perspective the loss of 81,000 consumers with specific purchases or services in mind (why else come to Hamilton?) one-1,000 passenger, 26-visit cruise ship provides 26,000 potential shoppers. Therefore lower Reid Street alone is worth an entire season of three 1,000-passenger cruise ships.'' The letter also cited examples -- such as Chicago's State Street -- where pedestrianisation had failed. But there are also many examples where pedestrianisation has been highly successful, said Mr. Grundmuller.

And he said, speaking personally as a merchant, his customers tell him that they would love to see Reid Street pedestrianised.

He said with the ACE and XL buildings about to provide underground parking for their employees, the timing is perfect for designating at least half of the City Hall lot to shoppers.

However, those still lukewarm to the pedestrianisation plan don't want anything to go ahead until alternative parking is in place.