How to get Wellington moving

A new Basin flyover plan and low projected public transport levels are likely roadblocks, writes Damian George.

Proposals for solving Wellington’s traffic congestion are out and, unsurprisingly, not everyone is happy. The wide-ranging ideas, aimed at fixing congestion between Wellington Airport and the Ngauranga Gorge, feature a number of controversial suggestions, not least the idea of having another crack at a flyover near the Basin Reserve cricket ground, or building a tunnel under the inner-city bypass.

The roading changes would be complemented by improvements to public transport, walking and cycling. A 10 to 14 per cent increase is expected in public transport patronage from the eastern and southern suburbs under the most radical scenario.

But the lack of detail around a provision for ‘‘mass transit’’ public transport – included in three of the four scenarios – and a notable lack of commitment to light rail has left some concerned, including new Transport Minister Phil Twyford.

Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter calls the provision for mass transit a ‘‘tag-on’’ to roading projects, while Wellington City councillor Iona Pannett and Greater Wellington regional councillor Sue Kedgley are among those who have concerned with its vagueness.

There is also concern that none of the four scenarios promise anything more than a minor impact on carbon emissions.

The scenarios were developed by the Let’s Get Wellington Moving working group, a joint initiative between Wellington City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).

The group was formed after the agency’s plans for a Basin Reserve flyover, 20 metres north of the ground, were scuppered by a board of inquiry decision in 2014, and a subsequent High Court ruling the following year.

Programme director Barry Mein says the four options are ‘‘illustrative’’ and the final proposal could include elements from each scenario once public feedback has been collated.

Regarding mass transit, Mein says technology is changing rapidly and the answer may not have been created yet.

Tunnels and bridges

Lobby groups, including Save The Basin and Fair Intelligent Transport Wellington (Fit Wellington), staunchly oppose any roading projects at the Basin roundabout, claiming they would only add to its congestion.

The Save The Basin campaign was instrumental in stopping the Basin flyover and it appears the group is steeling itself for another fight.

‘‘A flyover is still on the table and it must be off the table,’’ spokesman Tim Jones says.

Mein was asked this week how the governance group could stop vocal minorities from slowing the process, to which he played a straight bat.

‘‘There will always be groups who are wanting to express their view, that’s part of democracy. I don’t think you can stop that. You just need to have a process that takes all those views on board.’’

Mein says the proposals for the Basin differ from the flyover project. While it’s true they would separate traffic, they would also be more ‘‘sensitive’’ to the natural land layout and not as intrusive as the much bigger flyover.

Several people, including the lobby groups, Genter and some city and regional councillors, are not impressed that Basin roading projects were included in three of the four scenarios, meaning they are likely to feature in the final proposal.

Mein admits the most basic scenario – the only one that does not include road building at the Basin – will probably not achieve much.

But he points out the roading projects are only part of the puzzle.

‘‘Although we’re talking about roading initiatives, I think we need to understand what the reason is we’re doing the stuff on the roads,’’ he says.

‘‘If you look at the primary reason for doing things, for example at the Basin and Mt Victoria, it’s to make things way better for public transport and people walking and cycling. It’s not just about making it easier for vehicles.’’

Wellington Mayor Justin Lester says separating state highway and local traffic would help reconnect communities like Te Aro, which is currently severed by State Highway 1.

‘‘I think we deserve better, and we can do better and get a much better outcome.’’

‘‘It’s to make things way better for public transport and people walking and cycling.’’

Congestion charging and central city parking levies are also being considered by the working group.

Light rail

Twyford has made it clear the new Government will not interfere in the Let’s Get Wellington Moving work commissioned to date by the previous National Government, and will let the public consultation process play out.

But the Labour-NZ First Government has some contrary ideas on the future of Wellington’s transport system.

‘‘[The project’s] purpose is to get people talking and debating and thinking about what the options are, so that’s great,’’ Twyford says.

‘‘But our Government brings kind of a renewed commitment to investing in rapid transit, making mode shift one of the really important things, and joining up transport and urban development to make the streets and neighbourhoods and public places of this city as good as they can be.’’

He will not commit to backing light rail just yet but says future-proofing for it is an ‘‘absolute minimum’’.

‘‘I’m not saying central Government’s got a blank cheque or that it’s going to happen tomorrow but it’s got to be in the plan. It’s got to be mass transit. We’ve got to protect the corridors. That’s a given.’’

Genter says the proposals released this week do not meet some of the project objectives developed using feedback from more than 10,000 people.

Those include ambitions such as enhanced liveability and reduced reliance on private vehicles.

‘‘There is a public transport concept, but the majority of it is really about increasing vehicle capacity, which is at odds with the objectives,’’ she says.

‘‘The increase in public transport [between 3 and 14 per cent] is very low.’’

Wellington could have ‘‘European levels’’ of public transport patronage if it invested in a high-quality, rapid transport system, Genter adds.

She encourages Wellingtonians to be bold during the consultation period, and to not be constrained by the scenarios proposed.

Regional councillor Roger Blakeley is also disappointed that light rail is only included as a ‘‘potential add-on’’.

‘‘The engagement document does not offer the public a strategic choice.

For example, one scenario based on road pricing and high investment in mass transit, versus one based on more road building.’’

Pannett, who led a campaign against Wellington’s inner-city bypass project back in 1997, says some of the ideas being proposed are ‘‘recycled’’ from 20 years ago. The Government’s road-building philosophy has not changed, she adds.

‘‘We spent $12m on the [Basin] flyover proposal. This [Let’s Get Wellington Moving] group has spent two years working on this, and this is what they’ve come up with. [The NZTA has] had two big losses in the courts and they’re still wanting a flyover.’’

The city council wants to reduce emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, and these proposals will not achieve that, with minor emissions reductions going against the project’s ‘‘clean and green’’ objective, she says.

What’s next?

Members of the public can have their say on the options until December 15 – a timeframe regional councillor Ian McKinnon says is far too short given the complexity of the proposals, which took two years to develop.

‘‘There will be groups who are very well organised, and good on them, possibly focusing on just one issue,’’ he says.

‘‘They are likely to submit immediately and in large numbers, and that has the potential to skew the results. Some would say this was so about the Island Bay cycleway.’’

Mein says he is open to extending the consultation period if people indicate that is what they want, but he expects people to able to form their views within the timeframe.

He acknowledges that the forecast reduction in private vehicle use by 2026 is not as high as some people may want.

He also agrees that some residents may want a mass-transit option developed sooner rather than later, with demand for it expected to be there in about 10 years.

A final scenario will be unveiled early next year, providing more detail on the project’s timing and costs.

People wanting to have their say on the proposals can fill out a form available on the Let’s Get Wellington Moving website.

●➤ The four options,