The Christchurch Central City Pedestrian Counts Survey began in 1957 and is carried out every two years by the Canterbury/Westland Branch of the New Zealand Institute of Valuers. The counts are conducted over two one-hour periods; 10:30 – 11:30 in the morning and 2:30 – 3:30 in the afternoon on a Tuesday and Thursday in October.

Counts carried out in malls, plazas and arcades have included all pedestrians in those areas, whereas counts taken on normal streets include only those pedestrians on the footpath on that side of the street. A “pedestrian” includes all those adults over the age of 15 who are considered to be likely genuine shoppers.