Subscribe to RSSWgtn Council Supports NZTA Motorways
Wellington City Council tonight gave its support for the Ngauranga to Airport Corridor Plan -with the Mayor’s backing.
Councillor Swampy Marsh says this motion “will let NZTA get on with their business at their next board meeting on 5th May.”
“Roll on the planning and consultation, two Mt Vic tunnels may be closer than we think,” he said.
Earlier today a $1m study was approved by the Government on the long term options for a high quality public transport corridor running from Wellington Station to Wellington Regional hospital in Newtown. This will include, but is not limited to, light rail and bus-based options.
AKT speculated this would change the Mayor’s mind.
At the meeting, the Mayor supported the $2.4b project because of the agency’s “multi-modal” approach, which includes considering public transport, cycling and walking networks within the city as well as the roading changes.
Greens transport spokesman MP Gareth Hughes tweeted that a couple of councillors strongly opposed the plan.
He tweeted: “Cl Cook: Welly can’t be rail-roaded and bullied by NZTA. Peperell: WCC decision for our children - oil is peaking. Need democracy”
Councillor Helene Ritchie tried to move an amendment for full public consultation. It asked “that the Wellington City Council undertake full public consultation with the people of Wellington on the Transport Agency’s option(s), intention, and designs, routes, property and Town Belt and Basin Reserve impacts of their roading proposal(s) prior to any decision by Council to confirm (or otherwise) the Council’s position on Wellington RONS (Road of National Significance) transport improvements for State Highway One, south of Ngauranga.
She said that the council should “not give NZTA a blank cheque without the info.”
Thumbs up for Wellington's roading projects
Nine Councillors had demanded an “extraordinary” meeting to discuss a letter from NZTA which expresses concern that the new mayor may not be as in love with motorway plans as the former mayor, who lost the last election.
NZTA CEO Geoff Dangerfield in the letter to Mayor Celia Wade-Brown. said: “There is concern that the Council no longer shares or supports the view that the Ngauranga to Airport plan is base don the fundamental premise that improvements to Wellington”s inner-city transport issues will only be achieved by taking a multi modal approach… and concern that the Council no longer shares the view that the plan clearly signals construction of improvements to SH1 around Basin reserve”
The NZTA letter says it’s “urgent” that the Council confirm what the previous Council had agreed to as there was concern the Mayor was not fully supporting the plans.
The recommendations before the meeting were:
- Agree to the following statements that reflect Wellington City Council’s current policy position on the Ngauranga to Wellington Airport Corridor Plan:
(a) The Council supports the underlying premise that the transport issues within Wellington City can only be addressed by the implementation of a multi-modal package that includes improved state highway roading capacity as well as improved public transport and the effective implementation of walking and cycling measures.
(b) The Council supports the delivery of peak period lanes on State Highway 1 between Ngauranga and Aotea Quay, and improvements around the Basin Reserve to separate north/south flows from east/west traffic.
(c) The Council supports, subject to confirmation of need and design options, improvements to Wellington Road, Ruahine Street, and the duplication of the Mt Victoria and the Terrace Tunnels.
(d) The Council supports the provision of public transport improvements, and travel demand management, walking and cycling measures.
- Agree that Wellington City Council:
(a) Strongly supports the requirement for public consultation on the proposed New Zealand Transport Agency projects on State Highway 1;
(b) Will be an active and supportive partner during the consultation phase of these projects to assist the New Zealand Transport Agency to establish the views and preferences of Wellingtonians on the proposed State Highway improvements.
- Note that the projects in the Wellington RoNS south of Ngauranga are contained within the Ngauranga to Wellington Airport Corridor Plan. 5. Request the New Zealand Transport Agency to provide Council with a briefing on the preferred options for the Wellington RoNS projects within the Wellington City Council area at the earliest opportunity.
- Note that the Council will have the opportunity to comment on the details of particular New Zealand Transport Agency projects through the public consultation and regulatory processes.
- Note that the Council is consulting through the 2011-12 Draft Annual Plan on a number of projects that are part of the ongoing implementation of the Ngauranga to Wellington Airport Corridor Plan, including bus priority measures, support for walking and cycling, and the Council’s contribution to the Wellington Public Transport Spine Study.
4 Comments
I’m all for it. As long as they don’t build the Basin flyover I’ll support it. Congestion is horrendous around the basin.
Public consultation yeah right, the only public consultation that NZTA give is that they say “We are going to build that and thats final”, leaving no time for the public to deside, and done behind closed doors.
It’s up to the public now to oppose the plans.
I’m not surprised by the decision this just shows that the mayor has stood by her priotries but was bullied by her council that was bullied by central government to support the proposal.
This represents a sad day for a sustainable future, the only thing we can hope for is that they don’t put a fly over the basin reserve, I think the RONS are crap, they cost way to much and don’t even solve the root cause of the problem, basically the whole proposal is being built for growth sake to make growth acelerate and encourage more congestion, urban sprawl for years to come, they don’t solve congestion.
Hopefully the residence will do something about it, a similar thing will happen on the Kapiti Coast with expressway plans, I only hope that the community is strong enough to tell the government where to stick it.
Enough is a enough not voting National this year, will either vote Labour or Greens, I don’t want them winning General Election.
“Roll on the planning and consultation, two Mt Vic tunnels may be closer than we think” We already have two Mt Vic tunnels, thanks Mr. Marsh - anyway, lets hope number 3 is a rail tunnel!
A community public meeting on the proposed flyover at the Basin Reserve Cricket Ground - please come to help us stop this proposal and learn about alternatives.
Wednesday 21 November
6.30pm
St Joseph’s Church - near the Basin Reserve
42 Elice Street Mt Victoria