Wellington Greens » Transport

Guzzling Gas or going Green: transport strategy update

Paul Bruce — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 01:06:32 +0000

Regional Councillor Paul Bruce reports on changes in the Transport Plan

Presentation to the Rotary Club of Wellington, May 2010

Tena koutou katoa!

According to Charles Finny, CEO of Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce, Greater Wellington is possibly the best performing regional council in the country, with highly dedicated staff, and a couple of significant plans produced during the recent triennium.

The major expenditure item has been the replacement of 1940’s trains, and the addition of some extra transit capacity.

However, as well as running the buses and trains, GW is the environmental manager of the region, does transport planning, water supply, flood protection, pest and land management, harbour safety, regional parks and forests, emergency management and funds a regional economic development agency. Three years ago I talked to you about climate and weather.

Well, greenhouse gas emissions continue their relentless climb, as do signs of global climate change.

In fact we are following along the worst case scenario … in spite of what the climate deniers say!
The way we use energy and transport matters not only for sustainability, but also for our safety, comfort and health. The most dangerous thing we do in our lives is to travel in a car. And two thirds of cyclist accidents are due to cars.

If you want to be really safe, then travel by train, they are doing so increasing numbers in Europe – the risk reduces ten-fold! Less hassle and you arrive safely at your destination.

Well, what about Wellington?

Our city hums with a vibrancy that comes from a denser inner core and the seat of Governance, and plenty of intellectual debate. And, we have other things, like a Sustainable Cities faculty (Otago University), the most used public transit system in New Zealand, and almost all our electricity about to be produced by a couple of wind farms. About 75% of public transport use, measured in passengers times distance travelled (passenger-km), is powered by electricity: trains and trolleybuses.

Thirty one percent of inner city residents no longer own a car, with 73% choosing to walk to work. A WCC 2006 survey, also showed 27% of trips in Wellington city between 1km and 2km were made by walking and cycling.

Yet, in spite of this only 17% of the wider regional population commute by public transport to the CBD, with about 70% commuting by car. But 70% of car journeys are not work-related: visits to the supermarket, sport, recreation, and for social occasions.

New Zealand has one of the highest per capita transport demand profiles, and is highly dependent on oil imports to support this demand. Thirty six percent of Greater Wellington greenhouse emissions come from petrol, diesel and aviation fuel.

This suggests that NZ would fare comparatively badly in response to high oil prices, especially lower socio-economic communities, with poor public transport connections. An interesting survey done at Griffith University shows how communities located in peripheral suburbs by cheaper housing suffer disproportionately from oil price increases. The same would probably happen here, in Wainuiomata, Porirua East, and Titahi Bay and so on unless there is strategic development of post-oil alternatives.

Oil Vulnerability in the Australian City – Griffith University

The sustainable response? Provide people with the opportunity to choose sustainable transport modes for most of their travel, generate services locally, increase efficiency of our services, give support to active transport and adjust our urban form.

Greater Wellington funds public transport

Our system suffers from decades of neglect. Trolleybus, and rail networks have been allowed to run down. Since 1993 the National and Labour governments have invested roughly $14 billion in road maintenance and renewal and only $2 billion in rail improvements, so it is not surprising our railway lines are carrying less freight than the trucks on our roads.

Good news for Kiwirail today, making a modest profit, according to the half-year report [PDF].

96 new electric “Matangi” trains will start arriving from August this year. This has been accompanied by a year long upgrade of station platforms, signalling and electrification to Waikanae, with new double tracking. Work is continuing on providing real time information for bus and train travellers, with a pilot involving 25 buses under way at present.

Integrated ticketing is planned, but held up in order to coordinate with Auckland. NZTA has chosen Thales as the supplier for a national system.

At the same time, GW is reviewing bus efficiency on routes south of Wellington Railway Station.

A major deterrent to public transport use south of the CBD, has been the congested hub at Wellington Railway Station and along Lambton Quay. Multiple routes passing through this space, produces bus congestion, and poor timetabling.

A collaborative NZ/Australian transport study, directed by Prof. Gustaf Nielson, indicated the value of moving towards spoke and hub services (and sub-hubs) feeding into enhanced arterial transport routes, and I am very pleased to say the GW officers now believe that we can make significant improvements to the efficiency of our networks, which allow for increased frequency in outer areas, and less congestion in the CBD.

Roads of National Significance (RoNS)

However, these fine aspirations have been undermined by Government’s announcement of Roads of National Significance or RoNS, and has thrown into doubt the purchase of another 14 trains, that would allow for 3% annual growth.

Minister of Transport, Stephen Joyce, has outlined an additional $21 billion of investment in roads. The same National Infrastructure Plan lists only a further $0.7 billion investment in alternatives to roads.

It is indeed ironic that Prime Minister John Key can claim in Copenhagen, that NZ can’t afford to reduce GHE, yet National can find $2.2 billion public money for expenditure on non-performing assets in the Wellington region that saddle us with long term costs and more greenhouse emissions!

GW’s Regional Land Transport Strategy contains a vision that few would disagree with.

It advocates modal shift to public transport and active travel, and transfer of freight to rail, as a response to climate change, rising fuel prices, health, safety and security.

However, the key outcomes listed - Reduced severe road congestion (6.4.1), and the related outcomes - Maintained vehicle travel times between communities and regional destinations, and Improved reliability of the strategic roading network, have been used to justify the inclusion of the Transmission Gully project (8.1r, 10.2.1), the “Road of National Significance” (8.5d, 10.2.1), and Ngauranga to Wellington Airport Corridor (10.2.4). The timing of the Mt Victoria and Terrace Tunnel duplications and the widening of Ruahine Street have been brought forward in response to the inclusion of the Road of National Significance.

I also say, “non-performing” non-reservedly, as the cost benefit analysis shows that all the different components come out at well below One. This means, the Government is planning to build roads that will have no net benefit to the economy, that is a loss will be made. And the Transmission Gully road lies on an active fault line, and soil mapping indicates that the area suffers the same propensity for slips after heavy rains, as the coastal route.

The latest OECD comparison (2002) shows that New Zealand is already suffering from a very expensive transport network, with the highest vehicle kilometers travelled (VKT) per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the OECD:

Vehicle Kilometres Travelled by Road – MfE website

Each year in New Zealand, traffic-related air pollution is a contributing factor to 500 deaths, a similar number of deaths to road accidents. Car drivers and passengers have a death/injury rate ten times that of bus passengers.
There are also a lot of hidden costs, and one Ministry of Transport study, estimates that car and trucks only contribute 65% towards the total cost to the community.

For example, wastes such as used oil, batteries and tyres require careful disposal and cost New Zealand $3.8 billion. Road transport is also a primary source of harmful air pollutants in urban areas, and waterways are affected by contaminated run-off from roads.

Roading projects are funded from the National Land Transport Fund [Government Policy Statement GPS 2009/10 – 2018/19 May 2009 - PDF]. Some funding also comes from local authority rates. So ratepayers are paying for a portion of the cost of the Roads of National Significance (RoNs).

While most trucks pay road user charges it is not generally enough to cover the cost of road maintenance and the remainder is funded from taxpayers contributions. Road freight causes significant damage to roads and the most efficient means of transporting heavy goods is by rail. So in effect, roads are subsidized three times, firstly by vehicle registrations, secondly by taxpayers and thirdly by rates.

Many of us believed that peaking oil prices would see a shift in the car friendly culture irrespective of which Government was elected. We did not imagine in our wildest dreams that the Government would begin raising billions of dollars to keep the whole structure going and would prefer that our children inherit an impossible debt just to feed this addictive use of mineral oil.

The RONS proposal will result in unnecessary road capacity and community severance.

They will increase traffic speed and feed more vehicles into already congested Wellington streets. New expressways, like Karo Drive, may well lead to further high speed accidents, making a mockery of the recently launched Traffic Safety program, aimed at getting speed down.

The Minister wants a racetrack, in a similar manner to Muldoon’s think big projects, and they seem to be placing all their bets on bio-fuels and electric cars to replace gasoline.

However, electric cars are expensive, their uptake will be slow, with resource constraints on essential materials necessary for both batteries and electrical infrastructure. The Hon Steven Joyce has in fact estimated that there will be 300 light electric motor vehicles in the fleet by July 2013, and only reach 5% of the vehicle fleet by 2020. (NZ Energy Strategy PDF).

As a Regional Councillor, I have been advocating a balanced approach and seek the funds needed to fix the key problems with the rail system – the North-South junction, the fixing of the missing rail link from Wellington Railway station, that is light rail through to the Airport, and looking at our Urban form.

Urban form – access rather than mobility

A recent Health Department report, Healthy Places, Healthy Lives: Urban environments and wellbeing, provides detailed evidence about the strong link between poor urban design and poor health, and the large burden that puts on our communities and health services.

If designed appropriately, urban form and transport can increase physical activity, improve air quality, reduce road traffic injuries, increase social cohesion, and achieve maximum health benefits from services and facilities. Urban form can also help create a sense of place.

Urban form is a key factor in reducing the need for fossil fuels.

All the territorial authorities except Upper Hutt are signatories to the Urban Protocol (March 2005). The Regional Land Transport Programme has a vision that acknowledges the need for better land use, that people live closer to their main destinations for work and play, more vehicles run on renewable fuels, and that peoples choices recognise the risk and impact of climate change and diminishing non-renewable resources.

A vibrant city will facilitate compact development around transport hubs -

safe cycle ways on all arterial routes, and speed limit of 30km/h on shared roads.
electric trolley buses and light rail
freight to shipping and rail powered by a combination of solar, wind and bio-fuels. Coastal shipping is the most energy efficient way to move freight around the country, producing only 14 grams of CO2 per tonne-kilometre compared with road at 92–123 grams of CO2
moderate density apartments allowing regen heat, smart transport design, car share, passive solar aspects, savings in building design, community gardens
connectedness through broad band, social access
time share
free cycle and swap of used goods
clean air and good health
demand management programs run through workplace and schools, to encourage active modes, school walking buses etc.

Projects such as dual rail tunnels from Pukerua Bay through to Paekakariki, can enhance the public transport network and take cars and trucks off the road.

Tram – Train

Brent Efford, a recipient of a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2003, to study transit in North America, says that extending the rail system into the CBD using tram-train would knock ten minutes off the journey time for thousands of commuters every day, the same time saving claimed for Transmission Gully, but at less than $100m – less than a tenth of the cost.

Let’s look at a schematic of a possible new tram-train network, connecting Johnsonville and Melling directly through the Wellington CBD to the airport. Of course this would be done in stages, and based on similar light rail developments in Adelaide, Melbourne and most recently in Christchurch, would cost no more than $20 million per km to lay down the lines.

Allowing an inland rail port at Waingawa in Wairarapa, would remove the need for heavy trucks to use the Rimutaka Hill road.

And we need more passenger connections – rail commuters are complaining of “Third World travelling conditions” and safety concerns on packed trains. Passenger counts of 1200 on the three peak morning services from Masterton to Wellington, outnumbered available seats last year (DomPost 12th March 2009).

And another way that John Key and Steven Joyce could give us real dividends is to ….

Active modes

… invest in cycle friendly infrastructure. All TAs and GW have cycle plans specifying the need for safe cycling routes. In spite of this, change is slow and some times non-existent. Riddiford Street was upgraded in January last year, with no provision for cyclists, though advance stop markings have since been added.

A cycle/walk way connecting Petone and Nguaranga was first mooted over 100 years ago. Progress has been made here with the adoption of the concept of the Great Harbour Way by all TAs including GW. NZTA has also completed a study recommending a stand alone seaward track only between Petone and Horokiwi. We need political pressure to expand that to a fully fledged cycle way into the heart of Wellington.

Thirteen National cycle trails got the nod at the start of February to go through to the next stage for National Cycleway funding. Wellington region was excluded!

Based on experience in other cities, a 3 to 5 metre two way track connecting Wellington’s two major cities, could lead to a 20 fold increase with up to 8,000 new cyclists. This would significant number of cars off State highway 2 with corresponding benefits for us al.

The economic benefits are well established.

NZTA have found that a car driver shifting mode to cycling on a 5km commuter trip to work, brings $9,000 savings per year to the rider and the rest of the community.

A 10% shift back to cycling would bring savings of billions of dollars to the NZ economy.

30% of our land travel trips are for distances of under two kilometres.

Urban planner Richard Register recounts meeting a bicycle activist friend wearing a t-shirt that said “I just lost 3,500 pounds. Ask me how.” When queried he said he had sold his car. Replacing a 3,500-pound car with a 22-pound bicycle obviously reduces energy use dramatically, but it also reduces materials use by 99 percent, indirectly saving still more energy.

Enrique Penalosa, Mayor of Bogota (Colombia), was responsible for numerous radical improvements to his city, and for its citizens. He promoted a city model giving priority to children and public spaces and restricting private car use, building hundreds of kilometers of sidewalks, bicycle paths, pedestrian streets, greenways, and parks.

Penalosa, said that he had seen transportation systems where people had to walk or bike unprotected on highways and risk being killed, because figuring out how to move people who choose to walk, was less important than figuring out how to move rich people who had fancy cars.

“There are 1 or 2% kamikaze cyclists who will mix it with car traffic. If you paint a white line on the road, the number of cyclists increases to 5%. Then if you construct a special cycle way, protected from the traffic by shrubs, then 30 to 40% will venture out”

Broadway in New York has removed car parks, and traffic lanes, and created really popular cycle ways and broader sidewalks.

Overseas cities are no longer investing in accommodating the motorcar. They are promoting and improving their public transport. In cities such as Toronto and Seattle, there are moves to demolish freeways (motorways).

Moving our City with Free Public Transport

Bob Jones hit the mark when he called for a car free golden mile. However, there a number of other things that we should do to help people move more freely about town. One of these is free public transport, and the other is reducing the number of car parks.

Wellington City Council provides, through a business levy, free carparking at weekends to encourage shoppers to come into the city, but this may well be counter-productive. It costs $1.2m in forgone parking revenue, and contributes to vehicle pollution and traffic snarl ups as cars search for parking spaces. It may also put some people off coming to town, and actually decrease retail returns.

Wellington City Council “free” weekend car parks cost a lot in foregone revenue, in fact three to four times more than the cost of inner city public transport weekend fares. Wellington is in fact, an extreme case in terms of provision of car parks, with the highest number of parking spaces per job, according to figures gathered from around the world.

We outrank Christchurch and Auckland, and well known US cities, Phoenic, Denver, and Detroit. In his book The High Cost of Free Parking, Donald Shoup estimates that off-street parking subsidies in the United States are worth at least $127 billion a year. What societies should be striving for is not parking subsidies, but parking fees, reflecting the costs of congestion and the deteriorating quality of life as cars and parking lots take over.

In a time of diminishing resources, this isn’t the best message to send out.

Instead, we should aim for fewer cars in shopping areas, which would improve air quality and traffic flow, and hence ambience and retail sales. It also can give an added pull to tourists.

Number of CBD parking spaces in 1996 per 1000 CBD jobs

(figures collated by Kerry Wood)

Wellington	1050
Christchurch	940
Auckland	650
Sourced figures:
Phoenix	910
Denver	730
Detroit	710
Perth	630
Houston	610
Los Angeles	520
Portland	400
Melbourne	340
Brisbane	320
Sydney	220
Copenhagen	220
Zürich	140
London	120
New York	60

Zero fare public transport services

Auckland	Free downtown bus loop, ‘City Circuit’
Christchurch	Free downtown bus loop, ‘The Shuttle’
Invercargill	Free downtown bus & free off peak buses
Adelaide	Free downtown tram route
Sydney	Free downtown city bus loop
Melbourne	Free downtown tram and bus loop
Chapel Hill , USA	Free area-wide bus services
Hasselt , Belgium	Free area-wide bus services

Bachels, M, Newman, P and Kenworthy, J (1999). Indicators of urban transport efficiency in New Zealand’s main cities. Perth: Murdoch University, ISBN 0 86905 669 7

Newman, P and Kenworthy, J (1999). Sustainability and cities — overcoming automobile dependence. ISBN 1 55963 660 2.

The High Cost of Free Parking, Donald Shoup estimates that off-street parking subsidies in the United States are worth at least $127 billion a year.

Why not look at shifting some of the business levy to cover bus fares in the central business district? This would tie in with Greater Wellington’s intention to move towards integrated fares, allowing people arriving from outer suburbs such as Hutt Valley and Kapiti Coast to proceed through to Courtenay Place without any extra cost. Greater Wellington already provides a free connecting bus service on the Kapiti Coast to connect with train services, and has found this measure to be cost neutral.

Overseas experience has shown that zero fare inner city public transport encourages people to test the alternative.

More about free public transport

“The Thrill is Gone”

There are signs of deeper shifts in consumer attitudes towards cars, notably among the younger people on which its future rests. Studies now show they will be less willing to spend on them than their parents – Toyota, the world’s largest carmaker, concluded recently that in the US “frugalism is the new cool”, according to Bob Carter, brand head in the country.

We do have ways to live more lightly on the earth that give joy and better health. Our end game can be a delightful, cradle-to-cradle, pollution free environment.

Now is the time to wake up to irresistible cities, with light rail, Great Harbour cycle walkways, community gardens, energy efficient buildings, and the power of solar.

One last thing…. remember that

The economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment.

For more information

Contact Regional Councillor Paul Bruce
paul.bruce@greens.org.nz
phone: 04 9728699 cellphone:021 02719370

Moving our city with free public transport

Paul Bruce — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:11:42 +0000

The Dominion Post reported; “Round-the-clock gridlock has been predicted if The Terrace and Mt Victoria tunnels are closed for five weeks to kickstart a $80 million project to remedy serious safety problems.”

Could we use this sense of crisis to achieve immediate improvements in public transport services and safe cycle and walk ways between Wellington CBD and its suburbs?

A report to the Greater Wellington’s Transport and Access Committee is proposing that all fares be increased from 1 October 2010, to take account of the GST increase, and to produce a 3% increase in fare revenue to balance increased costs

Fare increases: bad timing

Greater Wellington Regional Councillor Paul Bruce said that coinciding Public Transport fare increases with the Mt Victoria tunnel safety upgrades is bad timing. “If we are going to close off routes, we must provide some counter balancing measure to help people move freely about Wellington city.

One of these measures could be moving the subsidy for free weekend public parking to zero inner city fares. Mr Bruce said that many other cities provide zero fare services, including Auckland, Christchurch and Invercargill.

Use the business levy

Shifting some of the Wellington City Council business levy to cover bus fares in the central business district ties in with a move towards integrated fares, allowing people arriving from outer suburbs to proceed through to Courtenay Place without any extra cost.

This will attract extra riders and lead to fewer cars in the inner city area, which in turn will improve traffic flow and air quality and thus ambience and … retail sales. Convenient public transport will also give an added pull to tourists.

Other advantages to alternative transport

There are also health, social and environmental advantages to funding alternative modes of transport such as cycling, walking and public transport.

Physical inactivity accounts for almost 10 percent of New Zealand’s 20 leading causes of death. It is a contributor to obesity and type 2 diabetes, which together cost the health system over $500 million per year. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency is now promoting “car reduced” communities. And the British government’s 2001 planning document says: “Development comprising jobs, shopping, leisure and services should not be designed and located on the assumption that the car will represent the only realistic means of access for the vast majority of people”.

Car parking

Wellington is an extreme case in terms of provision of car parks, with the highest number of parking spaces per job, according to figures collated by Kerry Wood. We outrank Christchurch and Auckland, and well known US cities, Phoenic, Denver, and Detroit.

Wellington City Council “free” weekend car parks cost a lot in foregone revenue, in fact four times more than the inner city public transport weekend fare, and about half the total weekend bus revenue take. Free parking contributes to vehicle pollution and traffic snarl ups as cars search for parking spaces, and may actually diminish retail sales. In a time of diminishing resources, a subsidy for free parking isn’t the best plan.

Creative solutions

Improving Wellington’s transport network can happen with some creative solutions. Our transport network includes every bus, car, skateboard or pair of feet that people use to get around, each with different requirements, whether in use or not.

Wellington’s compact size means space is at a premium downtown.What goes unnoticed are the ways in which we prioritise and even sponsor car use above every alternative. Private cars are the part of that network that take up the most space and energy, for the least return.

Instead, providing some real alternatives, such as zero inner city public transport fares combined with safer cycling after the removal of some parking, enhances the village atmosphere that we all seek.

Paul Bruce concluded that the closure of the Mt Victoria tunnel for safety upgrades should be seen as an opportunity to promote our public transport system. “Greater Wellington provides a free connecting bus service on the Kapiti Coast to connect with train services, and has found this to be a great success. What about moving towards zero weekend fares for Wellington city?”

Number of CBD parking spaces in 1996 per 1000 CBD jobs

(figures collated by Kerry Wood)

Wellington	1050
Christchurch	940
Auckland	650
Sourced figures:
Phoenix	910
Denver	730
Detroit	710
Perth	630
Houston	610
Los Angeles	520
Portland	400
Melbourne	340
Brisbane	320
Sydney	220
Copenhagen	220
Zürich	140
London	120
New York	60

Zero fare public transport services

Auckland	Free downtown bus loop, ‘City Circuit’
Christchurch	Free downtown bus loop, ‘The Shuttle’
Invercargill	Free downtown bus & free off peak buses
Adelaide	Free downtown tram route
Sydney	Free downtown city bus loop
Melbourne	Free downtown tram and bus loop
Chapel Hill , USA	Free area-wide bus services
Hasselt , Belgium	Free area-wide bus services

Greater Wellington submissions needed by April 23rd

Paul Bruce — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:45:03 +0000

Proposed GW Annual Plan 2010/11

Submissions close 4pm Friday 23rd April, and oral submissions will be heard 12th to 14th May.

Areas of interest:

1: Public transport fare increase of 3% (plus amount GST increase) for upgrade improvements

My suggestion: This increase be applied evenly over the network, while using the WCC downtown business levy to provide free public transport services during weekends for the CBD sections. A free CBD fare will allow those arriving by public transport to the city to move about the city without having to pay for an additional fare. Note that the rail fare terminates at Wellington railway station not Courtenay Place. The integration of fares between services is making very slow progress, and this would be a step in the right direction.

2: Refurbishment program of the Ganz Mavag rail fleet at an estimated cost of $8 million (page 25 on full report)

My suggestion: Proceed no further with refurbishment of these units which will not match the quality of the new Matangi trains. Instead investigate the purchase of modern light rail units for travel through the city CBD.

3: Water Supply

Expenditure of over $ 7 million on upgrades to infrastructure.

My suggestion: Extend the clean heat (also referred to as Warm Greater Wellington) rating financial expenditure program to domestic rain water collection tanks as an additional item.

Proposed Wellington Regional Land Transport Strategy 2010-2040

The Wellington Regional Land Transport Committee is seeking public feedback on its proposed Regional Land Transport Strategy, which is an update on the current strategy adopted in 2007. Submissions must reach Greater Wellington by 5pm on Friday 23 April 2010.

The RLTS document contains a vision that few would disagree with. It also advocates modal shift to public transport and active travel, and transfer of freight to rail, as a response to climate change, rising fuel prices, health, safety and security.

However, one of the key outcomes listed - Reduced severe road congestion (6.4.1), and the related outcomes - Maintained vehicle travel times between communities and regional destinations, and Improved reliability of the strategic roading network, allow the inclusion of the Transmission Gully project (8.1r, 10.2.1), the “Road of National Significance” (8.5d, 10.2.1), and Ngauranga to Wellington Airport Corridor (10.2.4) . The timing of the Mt Victoria and Terrace Tunnel duplications and the widening of Ruahine Street have been brought forward in response to the inclusion of the Road of National Significance.

A small portion of the $2.4 billion allocated to road upgrades would provide for double tracking and tunneling of the main truck rail line, light rail, safe cycle paths, and consequent increase in resiliency of region to price increases, storms and earthquakes.

The incompatibility of this outcome with the other outcomes and the Proposed Regional Policy Statement 2009 (Appendix 4.1), needs to be highlighted.

My suggestions:

Faster movement towards integrated public transport services
Inclusion of light rail in the Ngauranga to Wellington Airport corridor to address limitations on capacity
Fast track construction of the Petone to Nguaranga cycle/walk way as an essential part of the regional network
Cycle racks on buses (note new amendment to the road rules)
Introduction of road pricing or congestion charges (Appendix 3.1.6)

For more information

Contact Regional Councillor Paul Bruce
paul.bruce@greens.org.nz
phone: 04 9728699 cellphone:021 02719370

Give buses priority on Courtenay Place

Celia Wade-Brown — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:25:33 +0000

Buses should have been given priority before replacing a zebra crossing with traffic lights.

Traffic signals are being installed on the pedestrian crossing near Reading Cinemas. Originally this was part of a package designed to improved bus priority that included 30k limits and giving buses priority during peak hours. Wellington City Council agreed to consult on the details of bus priority lanes in Courtenay Place in June 2008 but a couple of elected members changed their minds and revoked that agreement.

I have walked, cycled, caught a bus and driven my car along Courtenay Place at different times of day.

There are considerable peak hour delays in this part of the route caused by private cars, especially in the evening. Sometimes there are ten cars per bus going through Courtenay Place. We should have collectively had the vision to improve public transport by reducing car access at peak times, not simply restricting people on foot!

At the moment many Wellington traffic signals give very poor priority to people on foot. I say that as the founder of Living Streets Aotearoa, the national organisation for improving urban walking.

Walking increased

Wellington is the only metropolitan region where walking to work has increased between 1991 and 2006. More people live downtown and in inner suburbs and enjoy walking to work. Giving priority to a bus with 40 or 50 passengers is acceptable but why should walkers have to give way to one person occupancy cars?

Natural allies

Walkers, cyclists and public transport should be natural allies in improving the liveability of downtown cities, improving access and economic success without increasing congestion, pollution and parking problems. The private car has its place in Wellington’s transport system but not at 5 p.m. on Courtenay Place! Drivers could use other roads to get across town in these busy times instead of paralysing our public transport spine.

References

1 Original Bus Priority Plan [PDF] - http://www.wellington.govt.nz/haveyoursay/meetings/committee/Strategy_and_Policy/2008/12Jun0915/pdf/3_Bus_Priority_Plan.pdf

Extract: “During peak periods Courtenay Place is no longer adequately coping with the competing demands. This is especially the case for buses and bus users, who unlike cars, have no alternative routes through this part of the central area. Currently passengers and bus companies experience significant delays on Courtenay Place, which filter through the entire transport system and affect public transport users and drivers across the city.
The average journey time for buses along Courtenay Place in the morning is 1.5 minutes and in the evening is 4.25 minutes. This is against a free flow journey time of 40 seconds. Of more concern is the variability of the bus journey time ranging from 40 seconds to in excess of 10 minutes. ”

http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/6/1/64
Extract:
Two New Zealand regions that bucked the overall trends by revealing increasing levels of walking warrant further comment. Regional strategies in Wellington and Nelson have made substantial investments in active transport. Wellington has proposed an urban development strategy, based on the idea of a “growth spine” (a strip of land along which more intensive urban development is encouraged), a bus lane programme and school, workplace and community travel plans.

Contact me

celia.wadebrown@greens.org.nz

phone: 04-938 6691 cellphone: 027 483 6691

Celia’s Councillor profile on the Wellington City Council website

Petition: Stop the Basin Reserve flyover

Iona Pannett — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:55:42 +0000

To the Wellington Regional Council, Wellington City Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency:

We are opposed to any proposal for an elevated concrete road or flyover next to the Basin Reserve which will ruin its amenity, detract from its appeal as an international sporting cricket venue, and create even more car traffic in the area. The Basin Reserve is the oldest sporting ground in New Zealand and its iconic heritage must be protected. We also oppose a second Mt Victoria tunnel and road widening in Wellington Road and Ruahine Street.

We call upon the Wellington Regional Council, Wellington City Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency to resolve Wellington’s transport issues around the Basin Reserve by sustainable transport options such as bus lanes, light rail, walking and cycling improvements, and to consult with the community about all options including these sustainable ones.

Jeff Rowe, Miramar, Wellington

Anne Heins, Aro Valley, Wellington
This is an expensive, ill coceived project that will cost us heaps of money as well as having detrimental impacts on our community and environment. It's time we started investing in smarter things that expensive roading projects. New Zealand is way behind the 8 ball on this. Our attitudes towards transport investment are bad leftovers from the 50s and we need to get with the times.

Judy Burge, Thorndon, Wellington
Please do not even consider putting a flyover the Basin Reserve - what a way to ruin an entrance into the city. A tunnel would be a much better option. This council is certainly out to make Wellington the ugliest city in the country.

Rutherford Ward, Broadmeadows, Wellington
As someone who has loved living in Wellington since the 60s I feel particularly angry about this dreadful proposed vandalism.

Chris Anderson, Karori, Wellington

Matthew Bartlett, Aro Valley, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Kelburn, Wellington

jason markham, epuni, lower hutt
better to put the funding into public transport is this will have a bigger impact on productivity, tourism and public amenities

xxxxxxxx, Plimmerton, Wellington

tim asby, te aro, wellington

Rata Gordon, Aro Valley, Wellington

Harry Chapman, Aro Valley, Wellington
Light rail instead please!

Toby Rowe, , Seoul
The Basin Reserve is my favourite place in Wellington, and has been since my childhood. Money-hungry construction companies and the politicians whose pockets they line should instead concentrate on buidling an automated walkway from the Beehive down to the sewer systems in which they reside.

Olivia Baldwin-Denton, Hataitai, Wellington

Anne Opie, Wadetown, Wellington

Carol Bowden, Plimmerton, Porirua

Nick Denton, Hataitai, Wellington

Jesse Williams, Wadestown, Wellington
Smart Public Transport Now! Bikes are here to Stay!

Noeline Gannaway, Mt Cook, Wellington
Please do not spoil the character of the Basin by proceeding with the flyover project.

Steven Jones, Ngaio, Wellington
This will ruin a nice feature of Wellington.

Tom Robinson, Brooklyn, Wellington
It's just not cricket! You're using my rates, against my wishes and the majority of submissions on this project, to build a visual monstrosity which will forever destroy the character of the Basin Reserve—turning it into a dank ghetto like parts of Thorndon Quay. Glad the Greens have launch this petition as the WCC has refused to host one—while at the same time lending their support to the project. Christchurch is extending their tram line while Wellington contrives to encircle a heritage ground with a traffic-inducing, noisy, polluting eyesore.

Jeff Abbot, Lyall Bay, Wellington
The idea of building additional roads is detrimental to commercial and residential property values and flies in the face of blatant evidence that more roading does not ultimately solve traffic congestion and is a poor remedy when what is needed is further investment in public transportation systems.

xxxxxxxx, Belmont, Lower Hutt

Suan Burns, Miramar, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Lyall Bay, Weelington
the road needs to go UNDER not over. AND we need a light rail system running out to the peninsula. Do not ruin our world class facility, where the sun will be blocked, and traffic noise will ruin the hushed atmosphere of a cricket test.
If Wgtn city gets the transport to the airport wrong, you will lose out to Paraparaumu airport for future developments.

Jessica Closson, President Mt Victoria Res Assoc., Mt Victoria, Wellington
The Mt Victoria Residents Association is categorically opposed to the proposed "grade separation" (call it what it is - a flyover!). Costs are already huge, alternatives were not explored, and local residents weren't even consulted - what a joke. Unfortunately this follows the sad pattern of most NZTA projects.

Adriann Smith, Mt Victoria, Wellington
We do not need an ugly intrusive flyover. Leave earlier and take a little more time to get where you are going. Don't spoil the Basin Reserve

Alan Pugh, Northland, Wellington

Chris Sutton, Kent, UK
I am a kiwi who has been to many cricket venues arond the world and I can say this is one of the best. Lets keep it that way.

Kate Riggir, Paparangi, Wellington

Darryl Roughan, Renwick, Marlborough

Simon Webber, Eastbourne,

Marina Smith, Brooklyn, Wellington
In year 2040 no coral reef will be alive. This is how bad the climate change problem has got. We should address the public transport issues. Flyover equals to building more roads. No money shoyuld be spent that way.

Nicola Easthope, Raumati South, Kapiti Coast
I am originally from Wellington and have fond memories attending cricket matches at the Basin Reserve. The flyover would be an eyesore, attract MORE traffic (every time you build a road...) and so increase noise and air pollution, and be another disincentive to get people travelling by bike and bus through the city.

Rebecca Cathro, Newtown, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Belmont, Lower Hutt

Lucy Locke Msc, ,

xxxxxxxx, Karori, Wellington

Lester Litchfield, Island Bay, Wellington
Short sighted, backwards move for Wellington transport. The rest of the world is investing in PUBLIC TRANSPORT. You may have heard, we are facing global warming. It makes me ashamed to be a Wellingtonian.

Shirley Hampton, Island bay, Wellington
We need more efficient transport options not more roads, bypasses, flyovers etc.

Sonja Adamek, Brooklyn, Wellington

Polly Greeks, Island Bay, Wellington
Who are you really serving by proceding with such a poorly conceived project? The people of Wellington? I don't think so. Show some responsibility and invest instead in public transport, and listen to what the people of Wellington want.

hilary phillips, Northland, Wellington
A flyover for one of the world's best cricket grounds? Sacrilege! A sad absurdity - this is New Zealand, not New Jersey..

Jude Wilson, eastbourne, lower hutt,

Lillian Fougere, Aro Valley, Wellington

Dominic Lane, Te Aro, Wellington

John Hess, Westside, Masterton

xxxxxxxx, Miramar, Wellington

David Bond, Ngaio, Wellington
The Ngauranga-Airport corridor would be best served by extending rail services to the airport. Grand roading schemes are not a sustainable solution and cause more problems than they solve.

Geraint Scott, Aro Valley, Wellington
Please, for once, listen to the people. Isn't that the whole point in us voting for government? So they'll listen to us?

xxxxxxxx, Boulcott, Lower Hutt

Wendy McCluskey, Taradale, Napier
As a former Wellingtonian, I am shocked at the proposed flyover and very disappointed in the Wellington council for even considering the idea. Wellington is an iconic city and as the capital of New Zealand it is important to protect the beauty of the city. How about putting the million towards improving public transport and reducing cars in the city centre. National’s initiative of pouring money into roads at the expense of public transport needs to be stopped.

Nicky Wilson-Kelly, Newtown, Wellington
Only sanity could explain such a monstrosity being proposed at such a huge expense. Let commonsense prevail!

Marc Slade, Brooklyn, Wellington
I can't believe this stupid idea is even being discussed when we are facing the end of the age of cheap oil. An idiotic waste of money that would be better spent improving infrastructure for cyclists or supporting public transport.

Nick Bowden, Hataitai, Wellington
PLEASE DONT RUIN THE BASIN!! THINK ABOUT WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT AND WHAT IS SENSIBLE!!
CHEERS

Janine Kerr, Island Bay, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, ex Hataitai now Carterton, Wairarapa

xxxxxxxx, Clifton, Wellington

James Barber, Lyall Bay, Wellington

Andy Maloney, Highbury, Wellington

Anna Dean, Lyall Bay, Wellington
Please don't do it.

Andrew, Te Aro, Wellington
Obviously will spoil the basin atmosphere - and the best cricket ground in NZ; should just built it elsewhere

ricky boyd, te aro, wellington
move forward. the traffice in there is rally bad, but not more roads, please explore other avenues again

Hazel Barr, kelburn, wellington

Hari Shankar, Karori, Wellington
Please do not go ahead with the daft proposal to build another flyover. Basin Reserve is one of the few grounds left around the world where watching a match is still delightful.

Sarah Evans, Hataitai, Wellington
The basin reserve is such a landmark for Wellingtonians and visitors to the city.. a great venue where locals have enjoyed many afternoon sporting events.. DONT RUIN IT WITH A PROJECT THE MAJORITY IS OPPOSED TO!

Luke Howard, Kelburn, Wellington

Hugh Beveridge, Berhampore, Wellington

Geoff Palmer, Mt Victoria, Wellington
What part of "79% public opposition" don't you people understand?

caroline askin, Kelburn, Wellington

Rachel, Aro Valley, Wellington

Alastair Pharo, Aro Valley, Wellington
Building a flyover is utterly absurd. It would be better to demolish the Basin Reserve.

Jo Kahl, Brooklyn, Wellington
Please preserve this iconic wellington site

Belinda McLean, , Otaki
I have heard no convincing evidence in favour of the proposed flyover, but its detrimental effects are glaringly obvious, as outlined in this petition.

John A Peters, Raumati, Paraparaumu

Ralph Wallace, Paekakariki, Kapiti

Holly Ludlow, Kelburn, Wellington

Ryan Eyers, Aro Valley, Wellington

Riki Prebble, Newtown, Wellington
I doubt think I can put it any better than Toby Rowe (see earlier post). This stinks and the amount of traffic it will encourage - more people driving in their little car box - will stink even more. Get your head out of the sand. Wake up and promote some positive urban transport solutions. Anyone heard of public transport and cycle lanes?

Michael Sergel, Kelburn, Wellington
Please protect a piece of New Zealand cricketing heritage.

kathy bartlett, newtown, wellington

Richard Huelin, Khandallah, Wellington

Trish Barry, Woburn, Lower Hutt
Cricket at the basin Reserve is unique. Do not destroy this special ambience.

Eva Naylor, Highbury, Wellington

Jack Kingston, Te Aro, Wellington

Avril Bell, Miramar, Wellington
I agree with all the comments that have been made so far. This is a terrible idea. I'd rather have a tunnel and much more emphasis on public transport and caps on further commercial development in Rongotai and the Miramar Penninsula.

Laurel Dunstan, , Kapiti Coast
To you who 'represent' the people of NZ, show some responsibility and invest instead in public transport, and listen to what the people of Wellington want. Isn't that the whole point in voting for government?

John Cuthbert, Northland, Wellington

Meaghan Rowe, Mount Cook, Wellington

Emma Roache, Berhampore, Wellington

David Kuss, Island Bay, Wellington
It's one of the most iconic cricket grounds in the world, leave it that way!

Francie Little, Masterton, Wairararpa

Lucy Kebbell, Newtown, Wellington

Danien Stuart, Te Aro, Wellington
Listen to the public for once!!!

Caroline Hodge, Woburn, Lower Hutt
We need more funding for public transport, not more funding put into short stretches of road. Roading projects are changing the face of inner Wellington, there is no increase in the number of carparks to support any increase in traffic in/through wellington so little point in these roading projects that deliver such small improvements.

Graham Howell, Brooklyn, Wellington
I notice walking into work, Lukes Lane, 75% of cars only have one person in them.

Michael Kelly, Newtown, Wellington
Keep NZ "Green" !! and DON'T EVER sell our most precious & pure natural resource - WATER!

Patrick Morgan, Newtown, Wellington
The proposed flyover is a wrongheaded attempt to reduce congestion.
It would induce further traffic and ruin the Basin. To get this proposal to stack up economically the benefit cost ratio assumes traffic growth. We don't want more traffic in our lovely city: we prefer investment in public transport, walking, cycling and traffic demand management.
Making people more reliant on vehicles makes it harder for us to reduce carbon pollution and mitigate the climate crisis.
Ditch this crazy idea.

Kristie Carter, Strathmore, Wellington

Thomas Sheridan, Roseneath, Wellington
I don't want to see this happen. It would turn our oldest most iconic Wellington sports park into the slum under the flyover. This needs to be quashed even before concepts are developed any further.

Henrietta Sushames, brooklyn, wellington
I deplore the attitude to the Basin Reserve indicated by the flyover proposal. Why can't you treat it with the same respect as recently given to the Town Green Belt in the Mt Victoria Creche issue?

Matt, Brooklyn, Wellington
Get smart WRC and WCC! Fully support a light rail system.

Andrew Campbell, Evans Bay, Wellington

Patrick Wilkes, Ngaio, Wellington
This is just crazy.

xxxxxxxx, Kelburn, Wellington

Emma Carryer, Aro Valley, Wellington

Rebecca Erlewein, Hataitai, Wellington
Improve public transport and make it attractive to use, rather than one's own car, and the traffic problem will get smaller by itself.

Erin Taylor, Island Bay, Wellington

Heather McKenzie, Northland, Wellington
I love the Basin, please don't wreck it.

Denise Eilers, Newtown, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Te Aro, Wellington

Arla Kerr, Kelburn, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Island Bay, Wellington

Jessica Kerr, Mt Victoria, Wellington

Vincent Gibbs, Te Aro, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Te Aro, Wellington

Victoria Crockford, Island Bay, Wellington

Lucas Putnam, Miramar, Wellington

Chris Gibbins, Kelburn, Wellington

Rochelle Wilson [Dr], Paekakariki, Kapiti
I work in Newtown sometimes,and am tolerant of traffic difficulties.. make allowances for the.
recently in Long Room at the Basin reserve stadium: the view is great.. no wonder sports people love the Reserve.
It would be an aesthetic desecration to build a
flyover as proposed.
And what about the Carbon footprint involved in the construction. Human induced acute climate change is real. All those in power as well as the people, must bear this in mind, and make decisions/propositions that are really appropriate.

David Lloyd, Khandallah, Wellington
The Basin is a beautiful feature of our city. Let's not destroy that to save a couple of minutes on the trip to the airport.

xxxxxxxx, Berhampore, Wellington
This is a complete waste of money on something that is not at all needed

Emma Bruce, Island Bay, Wellington

Vince Kerr, Kamo, Whangarei
I don't support this development. The values of the basin reserve would be compromised and this is not justified by a roading development of this kind. Other options for transportation into Wellington would be more appropriate for the future as well. Respectfully Vince Kerr

Carolyn Nimmo, Brooklyn, Wellington
A 'grade separation'/flyover is not necessary or cost effective. The money could be much better spent on public transport.

Konstanze Artmann, Vogeltown, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Mt. Cook, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, island bay, wellington

Victoria Jaenecke, Belmont, Lower Hutt
Gosh, wouldn't 47 million invested in sustainable public transport improvements and systems be amazing instead of yet another ridiculous roading project that doesn't achieve anything and is incredibly ugly (such as the present monstrous works on the Hutt highway ). Stop this flyerover , make proper bus lanes and up the services to make bus travel quicker and more efficient and put in some decent bike lanes everywhere.. There are plenty of people like myself and my children who would cycle more in the Hutt City and Wellington if it wasn't so dangerous!

Stacey Merrifield, Broadmeadows, Welington

Kees Keizer, Aro Valley, WELLINGTON
With the twin threats of climate change and peak oil, the WCC decides that we need yet another big roading project. Doesn't sound all that rational to me. We need cycle lanes, more and better public transport - even my cat can figure that out.

Mark Tsikanovski, Newtown, Wellington
How about putting the money instead into improving the existing public transport system or enhancing it with a tram line.

Jennie o\'Donovan, Berhampore, Wellington
This flyover will not solve our transport issues!

Louise Thornley, Te Aro, Wellington

Sean O\'Connor, , Lower Hutt
It is clear to me from my international travels that larger and more extensive roads ARE UGLY and DETRACT from the character of cities. That is to say, a highway is a highway wherever you go, and when you are on them they all look the same and all the people on them are focussing on DRIVING at various levels of STRESS. By contrast, public transport invites relaxation, observation, interest in one's surroundings and fellow human beings - and it is ecologically superior. I was recently inspired by Zealandia's 500 year vision - is more roads and more people in cars really what the people, the council and the planet want for the LONG TERM? Please can we put more money into ecologically and aesthetically superior transport options such as light rail and bus and MAJOR walking and cycling improvements.

Matthew Tait, Mount Victoria, Wellington
Utter madness.

xxxxxxxx, Northland, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, karori, wellington

Wren Green, Seatoun, Wellington

James Milner, Tawa, Wellington

Caleb Gaylard, Whitby, Wellington

John, Beach, Paraparaumu
Please don't ruin a beautiful cricket ground.

Michelle Biggs, Paraparaumu Beach, Kapiti Coast

Mia Stevenson, Karori, Wellington

Tristan Will, Papakowhai, Porirua

Susan Pearce, Ngaio, Wellington
Please get with the 21st century and its needs, council! We need light rail and other alternative transport, not a great big ugly road. So unnecessary.

xxxxxxxx, Mt Victoria, Wellington

Daniel Pedersen, CBD, Wellington
For a council that supposedly prides itself on public transport, Wellington City Council has been very narrow minded on this. Why not extend rail out to Newtown? By doing this, you would take cars OFF the road, meaning you wont need a new one to handle the capacity...Logical?

Tracey Miles, Brooklyn, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Queenstown, Queenstown
i had lived in Wellington for 10+ years and the Basin reserve is a wellington icon. as a sporting venue is contains alot of history and by putting a fly over, over it would simply destroy a massive piece of wellingtons history! i am discusted!

alan reid, Melrose, wellington

Lyndy McIntyre, Paekakariki, Kapiti Coast

Lynne Smeets, , Wellington

sophie belton, aro valley, wellington

Jennifer Fellows, Te Aro, Wellington

Marie Canny, Thorndon, Wellington

toni, hataitai, wgtn
Wellington will look stupid when the rest of the world go green.

xxxxxxxx, Wadestown, Wellington

Margot Boock, Hataitai, Wellington
Apart from the fact this ugly monstrosity will ruin the atmosphere of the Basin Reserve we don't need to be planning for more traffic going through the Mt Vic tunnel. We should be spending the money to create light rail through Newtown and Kilbirnie to the airport and encouraging people to use public transport.

xxxxxxxx, Mt Cook, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, , High Prairie AlbertaCanada
We need to move forward not backwards in our urban development.

Talia Maslen, Avondale, Auckland

James Fulforth, Aro Valley, Wellington

Nicholas Grimmett, Sandringham, Auckland
My great uncle, Clarence Victor Grimmett, would be appauld with this decision and as all the cricketing community would rather see this ground refurbished and shown the respect it deserves as one of New Zealands true only cricket grounds, any decision to change the area around this ground should be immediately repealed and the money spent on upgrading the facilities to bring it back to the world-class standard it deserves.

greg kyle, mount cook, wellington
please don't build this fly over, the basin is an area that should be preserved for the future and its feeling/ambience is a part of that

Francie Pye, Upper Hutt, Wellkington

Keir Reeves, Northcote, VICTORIA
This is a classic test ground and should be preserved for the right reasons not eclipsed by a flyover on the fault line.

Chris Bourne, , Perth

Michael Hemmingsen, Te Aro, Wellington

Annie Williams, Te Aro, Wellington

malcolm jacobson, kilbirnie, wellington
Flyover would ruin one of the best looking places in the city. There must be a better solution which won't ruin the Basin.

Anglia Marjadi, St Marys, Sydney
I used to live in Wellington and absolutely loved spending time at the Basin Reserve. It's one of the best venues in the world to watch cricket. It'd be a shame to lose it!

Andrew Pine, Kingston, Wellington

Harry Fraser, Island Bay, Wellington

Andrew Kearney, Whitby, Wellington

Tom McDonald, Kelburn, Wellington
The Basin is a Kiwi sporting icon and one of the premier cricket venues in the world. It is New Zealand's oldest dedicated cricket ground, and the history behind it is too precious to let go. The proposed changes are excessively expensive for the miniscule congestion improvements they will make. The Basin is probably the world's most spectator-friendly sporting venue, and to ruin its distinctive atmosphere would be nothing short of fascist.

Janis Freegard, Vogeltown, Wellington

Darren Jones, Lansdowne, Masterton
The Basin is a New Zealand treasure and I have had great memories there. No way should it be ruined by a flyover

Jacob Ross, , Masterton

robert johnston, karori, wellington

xxxxxxxx, Lower Hutt, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Johnsonville, Wellington
Don't ruin our heritage.

Clinton Huppert, Khandallah, Wellington
Too much of a historic landmark to lose

Raffe Smith, Grey Lynn, Auckland
Why do traffic engineers still consider 1960's solutions appropriate to 21st century urban Wellington? And why does both the WCC and NZTA let them think that?

Chris Wells, Miramar , Wellington

Jean Guiney, Renwick, Marlborough

xxxxxxxx, Fairfield, Dunedin
The Basin Reserve is a one of a kind. It is famous throughout the world. It could never be replaced. Don't ruin one of the greatest signifiers of NZs best city! There are so many public transport options that Wellington could consider. It was a mistake to put an "inner city by-pass" through Te Aro, don't be reponsible for another blunder.

Avi Singh, Ellerslie, Auckland
Test cricket is under threat right now, and needs the wholehearted support of cricket lovers worldwide. This short-sighted decision by Wellington City Council threatens more damage to Test cricket. Does the Wellington City Council want to be held responsible for killing Test cricket? If not, then listen to former Test cricketer John 'Mystery' Morrison and keep the Basin as it is in all its glory.

Ben Rapson, , Christchurch

David Coventry, Te aro, Wellington

Rhys Hingston, Kingsland, Auckland
I heart the Basin.

Gavin Parsons, Paremata, Porirua
I dont understand why people say we have a traffic problem? I was a Courier driver in London UK for over 6 years and in comparison Wellington is still decades away from even considered as having any major traffic problems. Especially when I have driven for no more than 6 minutes in peak traffic around the basin at any one time. Im reminded of the surroundings of visually unattractive and horridly cramped, polluted urban disturbances I once endured and one has to ask is this what we like to call our home? Some may suggest the proposed flyover is a safer alternative to our roads aside from the little congestion and waiting times we see today. If so, then show me the statistics that motorists today are subjected to an array of misfortunate accidents, un-economical expenses and distressing time delays as a result of a no flyover. Of course this would need to out weigh the importance of destroying an iconic recreational importance to our community. Only then will I have faith in the decisions and ideas raised but this seems all too difficult to prove?.

Griff Bristed, Mt Victoria, Wellington
Its an icon.

Louise Alliston, Island Bay, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Remuera, Auckland

xxxxxxxx, Newmarket, Auckland

Greg Taylor, Mission Bay, Auckland
Don't destroy a great piece of Wellington and New Zealand sporting history.

xxxxxxxx, Mt Cook, Wellington
I really think this will adversely affect the area...

Marcus Playle, Oriental Bay, Wellington

Paul Rees, Mt. Victoria, Wellington
I truly love the basin, always have. My partner and I plan to get married there when the pohutekawa are blooming. Please do not deface what has always been a place of peace, fun and worship (if your as much a cricket lover as we are).

Micahel Green, Waterloo, Lower Hutt

xxxxxxxx, Newtown, Wellington
The Basin is the most important historical site in miles -- not to mention a great pitch -- and the flyover is nothing more than an admission of failure that the bypass didn't work.

Craig Murphy, , Featherston

Ora Nepe, Spearwood, Fremantle
It has always being a pleasure to sit and watch a game at the Basin Reserve and it's iconic heritage. Much enjoyment had by all. It would be a shame and a eye sore if it was to be replaced with cloud's of fumes (polution) and more cars/light rail in that part of town. Damn shame.

Tyler McKnight, Paraparaumu, Kapiti Coast

Simon Butler, Remuera, Auckland
Please preserve the heritage and amenity values of the Basin reserve, New Zealands best recognised test cricket venue

Jay, te aro, wellington

andrea, hataitai,

xxxxxxxx, Tawa, Wellington
The basin is the best place to watch Cricket, in these days of trying to get people to play more sport, it seems silly to make it easier for them to drive a car. . walk people

Oliver Mace, Kelburn, Wellington

Flynn Longley, Kelburn, Wellington
It's a lovely wee place. Generally speaking, motorways etc are NOT lovely places. Please don't trade lovely for loud and ugly. It makes us all sick. :D

Christopher Retter, Brooklyn, Wellington

Mat Sefo, Titahi bay, Porirua

Richard Hamilton-Williams, Hataitai, Wellington
Let's be bold and get on with the light rail.

Duncan Forrest, Owhiro Bay, Wellington

Nick Holm, Te Aro, Wellington

James Cook, Karori, Wellington

Kieran Mackay, khandallah, wellington

Grace Emily Christison, Miramar, Wellington

jacob walker, Richmond, Melbourne
I spent half my childhood at the basin, have a heart. In this increasingly carbon concious political climate, are motorways the way forward?

R Govindan, Brooklyn, Wellington
There more important things in life than a motorway to get from A to B 10 minutes faster. The Basin is one of NZ's last traditional classic cricket grounds, and an international icon loved by cricket followers around the globe and Wellington residents alike. To build a flyover would be a tragedy and an eyesore, for minimal benefit.....namely getting to the airport faster. Get over it, and leave home earlier.

xxxxxxxx, Kelburn, Wellington

natalie paterson, kelburn, wellington

Emily R. Hogan, Aro Valley, Wellington
green spaces are important.

Katherine Robbie, Aro Valley, Wellington

Greg Martin, Newtown, Wellington

OLIVIA, Karori, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Thorndon, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, churton park, Wellington

Kerryn Pollock, Berhampore, Wellington
Wellington is a very small place with predictable traffic flows - devising a way of getting everyone around without constructing unsightly 'solutions' like the flyover should not be hard! Come on, make the most of a great compact little city and come up with an efficient public transport system which gets a critical mass of people where they want to go. Get smart!

Hannah Dollery, Mount Victoria, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Melrose, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, newtown, wellington
basin must stay. you cannot remove such history

Heather Brown, Island Bay, Wellington

John Bekker, Sussex, England
I agree with a lot of the previous comments, why not build a light rail system and get people out of their cars. The basin reserve is part of New Zealand's history,well known and loved by people in NZ & overseas. Please conserve our heritage, far to much of it is bulldozed down and replaced with ugly concrete monstrosity's.

Wayne Galloway, Stokes valley, Lower hutt

xxxxxxxx, ,
I dont want the motorway to be there because its going to effect the environment and not also that but its going to be a waste of money.

Sarah Hunter, Khandallah, Wellington
NO!!!

Emily Silva, Amager, Copenhagen

Michelle Gray, Seven Hills, Sydney
Orig Wellington.

Andrea Whaanga, London, United Kingdom

Nick Farrow, Essex, UK

Thomas Nash, Te Aro, Wellington

Jonathan O\'Sullivan, Tongaporutu, Tararnaki

Olivier Bittar, Alexandria, Sydney

xxxxxxxx, CBD, Wellington

Ben, Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt

Mike Hambleton, , Amsterdam (formerly Mt Vic)

Sally Greig, Mid Levels, Hong Kong

Patrick, Brooklyn, Wellington

jay williams, jebel ali, dubai

Alex Lineham, Island Bay, Wellington

Owen Mann, Brooklyn, Wellington

Luke Roper, Johnsonville, Wellington

James benning, Tawa, Wellington

Jessica Barr, Titahi Bay, Wellington

Geert van de Vorstenbosch, Avonside, Christchurch

xxxxxxxx, Thorndon, Wellington

Mary-Lee Caldwell, Strathmore, Wellington

Fiona Christensen, Karori, Wellington

Paula Boock, Newtown, Wellington
Please think more than 10 years ahead. Road-building of this kind is short-sighted and will destroy the amenity values of an historic sporting ground. Significant investment of this kind would be better used developing a light rail plan to service south/eastern Wellington.

Andrea Pender, Otaki (previously Hataitai), Wellington
I have many memories of watching cricket at The Basin Reserve.It is a beautiful place and a landmark. The Basin holds many Historical Memories for not only Wellingtonians but many New Zealanders. It is the Home of Wellington Cricket and still many young cricketers aspire to play there. I feel as strongly about saving this as I did the St.James theatre. Preserve Wellington's History please.

xxxxxxxx, Mount Cook, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, lower hutt, wellington

Chloe Geoghegan, Khandallah, Wellington

Hanna Knight, Johnsonville, Wellington
What is wrong with Wellington town planners that these awful ideas keep coming up. I would definitely support a more pedestrian and clycle friendly Mt Vic tunnel!

xxxxxxxx, Newtown, Wellington
Please look at Providence, RI - they put a major arterial route through a historic district and the result is UGLY! Why would you build such a thing next to historic Mt Victoria and the gorgeous Basin Reserve. This is Bolton Street Cemetry all over again - improve the public transport in the area before building more roads!

Jeremy Naylor, Tawa, Wellington

Buster James Flaws, Mt Cook, Wellington
Horrible Idea.The Basin is an internationally known and loved sports ground. It should be a heritage site. Please dont change a thing!!!

Lynsey Ferrari, Te Aro, Wellington
It seems this proposal for a flyover at the beautiful Basin Reserve is not a joke. Who on EARTH would support such a crazy scheme and why? The alternatives are obvious.

xxxxxxxx, Mt Cook, Wellington

Nick Beach, Karori, Wellington

Grace Thomas-Edmond, Thorndon, Wellington

daniel robinson, Heretaunga, Upper Hutt
This ground is unique in New Zealand let the ODI's continue

Lucy Blade, Mount Cook, WELLINGTON

Alastair Langridge, Te Aro, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, springfield lakes, queensland

john goodall, brooklyn, wellington
this makes no sense from an environmental, traffic or aesthetic viewpoint. The only people to benefit will be Kerry's mate in the roading & construction lobbies.

Melissa Mepham, Te Aro, Wellington

Matthew Mollet, Roseneath, Wellington
The Basin Reserve is a piece of New Zealand (and Cricket)history and should be cherished for generations to come.

Charles Thompson, Khandallah, Wellington

KEN MCALPINE, kensington, Melbourne Aust
Is your city run by lunatics? The Basin Reserve is something that most people from Oz have commented on as something they love about wellington. The BR and the Adelaide Oval are the most attractive major cricket grounds in the world. Just as well these people dont run Rome - they'd turn St Peters Sq into a carpark!!

ken (Aust)

xxxxxxxx, CBD, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Mirdiff, Dubai
When I think of home one of the things I think of the Basin reserve. Do not take memories away

April Parent, Marietta, Atlanta, Ga, USA
I spent a year living next to the Basin Reserve in 2005 and I remember it fondly. Quiet, green, peaceful, enchanting. I can't believe that the plans to ruin it are actually still proceeding.

james, mount Cook,

Rebecca B. Johnson, Wadestown, Wellington
The basin would never be the same if this is approved. Look at Cuba st! Stop tearing up our town guys! Sometimes it's just best to leave it alone "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" ;)

Rob Fall, Thorndon, Wellington
Please do not destroy the best cricket ground in the world for a flyover that will make little difference to the traffic flow.

Tim Carter, Kelburn, Wellington
This is a joke right? No one could be silly enough to actual think this is a good idea!

Proprentner Elisa, Villach, Villach

xxxxxxxx, Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt

Chris Curry, Mount Victoria, Wellington

Steven Graham, Te Aro, Wellington

Jordan Carey, Kingston, Wellington

Craig Findleton, Miramar, Wellington

Oscar Pipson, Mt Cook, Wellington

Iona Forsyth, Aro Valley, Wellington

Eliot, Mount Victoria, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Island bay, wellington

Lily Kemble Welch, Newtown, Wellington

Sven Heger, Hataitai, Wellington
Money should be invested in public transport. It's very sad and concerning to see that comparetivly more money is pumped into more road developments than into upgrading the rail infrastructure. This proposal would ruin the character of the Basin Wellington should be so proud of. It'd be a total waste of taxpayers money!!!

Benjamin Ackland, Kensal Rise, London
The Basin Reserve is a unique and wonderful addition to Wellingtons inner city. I can't believe that the flyover is even being considered. Please look at other options. This is not right.

Hadden Morrison, Island Bay, Wellington
So many more important things to spend $ on, regardless its a stupid option to overcome a minor issue. Dont spoil one of Wellingtons icons because John Key missed his plane.

Rachel Flavin, Newtown, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Karori, Wellington

Giles Wellington, , Bournemouth , UK
On our visit in 2008 the time we spent at the Basin Reserve was a highlight in a fantastic 4 week holiday ...its very sad and unthinkable that it wont be there on our next visit

xxxxxxxx, Silverstream, Wellington
I think this is disgusting! I have come back to Wellington from the UK because it is a beautiful city. Please don't ruin it with horrible concrete!

Gabriele Lambert, Manakau, Levin 5573

Michael Bingham, crofton downs, wellington
Don't spoil the Basin Reserve, its a part of wellingtons history and soul. We don't need an ugly flyover, spend the money on something more important.

xxxxxxxx, Newtown, Wellington

Hugh Laurenson, Johnsonville, Wellington
This is no way to treat our internationally-renown cricket ground...no matter how much they jazz up the presentation of the flyover with the flash gateway and everything, it will completely destroy that end of town, let alone the Basin itself...there needs to be a mass mental shift away from cars towards public transport-the flyover will only shift the current issue elsewhere

Dave Malcolm, Paraparaumu, Kapiti Coast
Would Britain get rid of Lords for a bypass? Would the Adelaide Oval be removed for another inner-city access road? Why is NZ Cricket allowing a ground with comparable status and prestige to be considered for destruction! Just so a few more business executives can get to work 5 mins earlier or to the airport a little faster. Think of the repercussions people!!!

xxxxxxxx, Kelburn, Wellington

Adrian Mazur, Miramar, Wellington

Barbara Janet Moses, Karori, Wellington
Listen to the community - we do NOT want this flyover!

xxxxxxxx, Newtown, Wellington

Ben Briggs, Mt Victoria, Wellington
This would be have to be one of the most ill-considered pieces of urban design I've ever seen. Pour the money into public transport infrastructure!

Claire Croft, Havelock North, Hawkes Bay
The Basin is an iconic Kiwi landmark. Please, please don't destroy it.

xxxxxxxx, Mt Albert, Auckland

xxxxxxxx, Oriental Bay, Wellington

Bryna Dekkers, Te Aro, Welington

jimmy leyden, flynn, ACT
having lived in welly for a number of years this would be an absolute shame to spoil such a historic part of the city. this is not the answer to the traffic congestion.

xxxxxxxx, Willesden Green, London

Antonella Cesarini, , Rome

Matthew Hanley, Te Aro, Wellington

Tim Higgs, Roseneath, Wellington
Why is the council constantly looking at putting more roading through the centre of Wellington??! I seriously have not talked to 1 person who seems to think the flyover is a good idea. Let's look at more public transport and lets look at keeping the city centre beautiful.

Jennie Harre Hindmarsh, Wainui,

xxxxxxxx, CBD, Auckland

Caitlin Dalzell, Mt.Cook, Wellington

Alex Treseder, Masterton, Wairarapa

xxxxxxxx, Berhampore, Wellington
BAN THE UBER-BRIDGE!

ashraf dean, aro valley, wellington
This is just a disgusting idea - this project (read:eyesore) compromises one of the nation's most important sporting venues; I think you've really underestimated how much love there is in the city for the Basin. Road congestion is a valid issue, but this is not the answer. The rest of the world is waking up to the realization that we cannot plan our lives around the automobile any longer - use this funding to improve public transport and find another way to direct traffic away from the Basin, not towards and over it!

Karen Michaud, Sandringham, Auckland

Jack McDonald, Paekakariki, Kapiti Coast

xxxxxxxx, Thorndon, Wellington

Thai Luu, Tawa, Wellington

Paul Bradley, Island bay, Wellington
Public transport, cycling, and walking all the way! Please don't fill our beautiful city up with dangerous and ugly roads.

kerry topp, Kohimarama, Auckland, NZ
Explore more efficient public transport options and keep The Basin green and pristine!

xxxxxxxx, Wapping, London
Don't get rid of the basin - some of my best memories in wellington involve it. It's the best place to watch a game of cricket.

Ben Baker, , Amsterdam, Netherlands

Rowan Schnauer, , London, UK

Glen Hildreth, Roseneath, Wellington
Great idea, lets ruin one of the most beloved, iconic, elements of Wellington.

Christine Blake, Melbourne, Australia (formerly Thorndon)

Cassie, hataitai, wellington

Barry Murphy, , Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Newtown, Wellington

Quentin Duthie, Point Howard, Lower Hutt
There's no need. Why destroy our Basin's integrity? Progressive cities around the world are replacing motorways with fast efficient trains, buses, cycle and walk ways. Wellington should be a leader.

Richard Gill, Staffordshire, England
The Basin Reserve is one of the greatest grounds in world cricket, please don't ruin it!!

Zachary Dorner, Northland, Wellington
If you want to make Wellington the sustainable city that it should be, building more roads is an expensive way of making things much harder, and making the city less liveable. Please prioritise public transport for people like me who can't afford a car, and as a sustainable and more cost-effective alternative.

Don't ruin the Basin Reserve!

Karl Menzies, Arthurs Point, Queenstown
I Love Wellies for its icon and great poeple - teh basin is one of these and it bring people together for great days out - please don't take it away
Keep our hertitage and keep being creative Wellington - don't take a way the beauty by putting up an ugly flyover.

Georgina Morrison, Thorndon, Wellington

Alastair Warren, Mt Victoria, Wellington
We're trying to move away from private cars, so why build another road. It's a simple proven fact that building more roads increases car usage. Save the money of building the flyover and the second Mt Vic tunnel (which is clearly the following step), and spend it on PT. Its obvious if PT and cycling/walking were made more appealing, car usage would drop and the need for the flyover is negated. Isn't that the long term goal of the council anyway? Let's solve the problem not further ingrain it.

Amy Pyle, kilbirnie, wellington

Margaret Stevenson-Wright, Churton Park, Wellington

Frank Hawcroft, Hataitai, Wellington
Like building more roads ever solves traffic problems ... We need to move away from this 1950s planning mentality, improve public transport, and make the city better for cycling and walking.

xxxxxxxx, Northland, Wellington
Roading issues are never solved by building more roads. And cities (not to mention historic cricket grounds) are never enhanced by concrete flyovers.

Michael Taylor, Kingston, Wellington
It makes no sense to ruin the Basin Reserve and its setting to try to satisfy the greedy demands of the car. The roading system has an insatiable appetite for our land, our money and the environment. No matter what sacrifices we offer up to it, it simply wants more. Feed it and often usage simply increases but in the odd cases where 30 seconds do get "saved" here, the demand is then for another 15 seconds somewhere else. Nor should blackmail be allowed to prevail - any new or improved Basin Reserve facilities should be deserved in their own right, not because we have given in to demands for a flyover.

Rowan Brooks, Grey Lynn, Auckland
Dealing with transport issues by building new roads is an increasingly redundant approach. People need reasons to drive less, not more!

Sue Hamill, Newtown, Wellington
The money would be far better spent on public transport eg light rail. The plan is very shortsighted

John Monro, Hataitai, Wellington
I utterly agree - I would really like to see the light rail option of Station to Hospital to Airport properly explored by a committed council, and all this nonsense, as exemplified by this myopic and destructive proposal of a flyover, surrendering as it is to an unsupportable and unsustainable motoring addiction, brought to an end. The Council must be well aware that this proposal only makes any sort of transport sense with the building of another tunnel under Mt Victoria, dual roadways along Hatiati Park, and a further lane or two under the Terrace. In other words, this is a creeping and craven way of trying to build by stealth the Great Wellington Bypass, the caprice and conceit of every Wellington transport planner since the 1960s - the expense will be enormous, the destruction huge and the long-term benefit zero. The council’s continued dismissive attitude to a light rail option is positively antediluvian; with all due respect, they need to get into the 21st Century, now. This council is behaving much the same anachronistic manner as the last of the canal builders in the UK in the first part of the eighteenth century, enthusiastically digging yet more canals, whilst completely ignoring the steam rising on the other side of the hill. For goodness sake, Wellington Council, wake up, even Rip van Winkel only slept for twenty years, you’ve been asleep for twice that long!!

Lisa Johnston, Newtown, Wellington
Think of all the bikes we could buy with that money!

Richard Keller, Lyall Bay, Wellington
The Fly-over plan is a desparate remnant of the old growth/car mentality which is dead whether the planners realize it or not.

Tristan Stibbards, Brooklyn, ellington
Please learn from your diabolical bypass cock up and stop building roads we don't need... Why not use the money to subsidise our outrageously expensive and inefficient public transport system.

Lindis Taylor, Tawa, Wellington
This move is simplyone of a succession that will follow each other as mindless repsonse to the additional traffic generated by each previous road expansion. It will lead directly to damands for a second Mt Victoria Tunnel - for rubber-tyred vehicles and not rails of course.
It is a reckless extravagance. The money should be spent on the start of a light rail system which would largely eliminate the need for further road extravagances.

Jasmine Lovell-Smith, Hataitai, Wellington
Light rail and improvements to walking and cycling facilities please!

xxxxxxxx, Te Aro, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, , Masterton

Johnny Blades, Thorndon, Wellington
Building a flyover will only ensure more roading and traffic problems for Wgtn.
It will also look absolutely repulsive and ruin the Basin Reserve.

Kathryn Stewart, Miramar, Wellington

Amber Flynn, Berhampore, Wellington

Jill Burdett, Island Bay, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Newtown, Wellington
Wellington is perfectly designed for public transport, and our council should be taking advantage of this by greatly improving bus transport systems and introducing light rail. It makes no sense to embark on yet more expensive, low-return roading improvements. Please do not squander this wonderful city! There is a reason I live here and not Auckland.

Elizabeth Cox, Island Bay, Wellington
The basin is a uniqu part of Wellington's heritage and streetscape and needs to be preserved

Lauren Carline, Miramar, Wellington

Margaret Pannett, , Wellington 6011
I wish to preserve the Basin Reserve as it has always been since arriving in Wellington, 40 years ago

Chris Crook, Belmont, Lower Hutt

xxxxxxxx, , London
Please do not ruin any more of Wellington - my heart - for the benefit of people who drive cars. There are other ways of getting around, and surely other ways of dealing with congestion problems. How about encouraging people to NOT DRIVE CARS? Come on, please do not deface Wellington any more than has already happened in recent years!

Cole Aplin, Yokine, Perth

helen jamieson, newtown, wellington
less cars, more public transport please!

John Baldwin, Paraparaumu, Wellington
There ought to be an Intelligence Quotient test for all politicians before they can enter parliament and create needless & senseless projects like National Roads of Significance. Newer and better roads are significant only in terms of their ability to encourage more people to use their cars, contribute to pollution and create even more congestion. An obvious intelligent alternative would be railways of national significance.I am sick of the way our hard earned tax dollars are being squandered by moronic politicians and their spineless cohurts.

Natalie Crane, Mornington, Wellington

Megan Hinge, Strathmore, Wellington
Why does the government always look for short term solutions? Building more roads ultimately leads to more congestion. People need to shift their thinking that driving everywhere is a right.

Brent Cryer, Linden, Wellington
This proposal would ultimately lead to a full expressway being created between the two tunnels. We need light rail to the Airport instead of building expensive congestion causing roads.

xxxxxxxx, Khandallah, Wellington

xxxxxxxx, Brooklyn, Wellington

Peter Holland, Clifton, Bristol (UK)
The Basin Reserve is one of the iconic grounds of world cricket. Half way across the world I hope that this decision can be reversed to keep the unique atmosphere at this historic ground intact. Do not underestimate what you have Wellington! Perhaps a minor point, but if the feel of the basin is lost there will be lost tourism dollars when English fans decide to go only to the Hamilton or Napier tests and avoid the noisy, polluted Wellington test match.

Stuart van Voornveld, Miramar, Wellington
As someone who enjoys going to the Basin reserve i think that this plan is a stupid and ill concived plan a underground tunnel might be a better option

Barry Thomas, Aro Valley, Wellington
More cars, can be the only result doh!

Stephen Preston, Mt Victoria, Wellington

More about the Stop the Basin Reserve Flyover campaign

Local government and the environment

Paul Bruce — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:34:05 +0000

This article is based on a presentation given in August 2009.

Download the presentation [1.4MB, PDF]

Collaborative communities

We face many challenges in the coming years; the limits of growth, climate change and peak everything, beginning with oil.

The media has been preoccupied with the financial collapse. The situation is much more complex than the collapse of the sub-prime market. Last year’s price of oil at $140 a barrel, was too high for non-producing countries, and lead to significant demand reduction. Demand is continuing to drop, even though the price is still less than half it was at its peak.

In its most recent report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that the oil supply shortfall that they had previously predicted for 2010 will only be delayed a little by the recession.

Dr Faith Birol, the chief economist at the IEA in Paris, says “there is now a real risk of a crunch in the oil supply after next year, whenever demand picks up because not enough is being done to build up new supplies of oil to compensate for the rapid decline in existing fields.” The IEA estimates that the decline in oil production in existing fields is now running at 6.7% a year compared to the 3.75 decline it had estimated in 2007, which it now acknowledges to be wrong.

Oil availability then, is the first major restraint on growth. Water supply is also constrained, with lowering water tables, melting glaciers, and increasing severity of drought in major grain producing areas, portends food shortages. Pumping underground water exceeds natural recharge in countries containing half the world’s people, leaving many without adequate water. If growth resumed, most basic commodities would reach peak production within a few decades.

Sustainability and natural resilience

While the economy has grown exponentially, the earth’s natural capacities have not. This includes its ability to supply fresh water, forest products, and seafood. Humanity’s collective demands first surpassed the earth’s regenerative capacity around 1980.

Today, global demands on natural systems exceed their sustainable yield capacity by nearly 30 percent. We are meeting current demands by consuming the earth’s natural assets, setting the stage for decline and collapse. We must learn to live within our carbon footprint.

Each of us depends on the products and services provided by the earth’s ecosystems, ranging from forest to wetlands, from coral reefs to grasslands. Among the services these ecosystems provide are water purification, pollination, carbon sequestration, flood control, and soil conservation. A four-year study of the world’s ecosystems by 1,360 scientists, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, reported that 15 of 24 primary ecosystem services are being degraded or pushed beyond their limits. For example, three quarters of oceanic fisheries, a major source of protein in the human diet, are being fished at or beyond their limits, and many are headed toward collapse.

- Adapted from Chapter 1, “Entering a New World,” in Lester R. Brown, Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization

Consultation

Fellow Regional Councillors have remarked to me, “Paul, we have a different culture here. You need to take care!”

Our future is indeed determined by how we take care, what parameters we set, and how we collaborate. I have come to learn that Council officers write reports, and by and large Regional Councillors rubber stamp them. Consultation has involved a request for submissions, and then a perfunctory hearing.

However, the end game is a delightful, cradle to cradle, pollution free environment with clean water, air and soil… not business as usual.

I attended the first World Social Forum in Porte Alegre, Southern Brazil in 2001, as a Council for International Development representative.

At that time, Porte Alegre was the poster child for participatory democracy, and yes, they did increase participation, which lead to a significant surge in projects targeted to marginalised areas, and a reduction in poverty and increase in well being. The city council emphasised influence and deliberation as important for long lasting solutions. At the same time, Argentina, across the border to the south, suffered melt down, after years of military dictatorship, followed my IMF impositions. Unemployment was close to 50% with widespread poverty. This lead to a social revolution, with 5 changes of government. Worker’s co-operatives and community gardens now flourish, and Argentina has joined Hugo Chavez of Venezuelan’s Alba alliance, rather than following the dictates of the IMF and World Bank, and the neo-liberal free market mantras.

New Zealand is at a crossroads with the election of a National/Act Government. Do we move to a more collaborative system, or a centralised city state under control of the technocratics?

Pathways to Resilient Communities

Earlier this year, we held a Pathways to Resilient Community dialogue with about 150 Local government and community representatives, where we discussed the concept of resiliency and key vulnerabilities of the region.

Resilient communities workshops

These ideas have feed back into the Long term community plan.

Greater Wellington has undertaken to develop a Genuine Progress Index (GPI) to measure progress towards the four well beings (social, cultural, economic and environmental outcomes). A report by Aaron Packard explores the role for public participation in the assessment of the these indicators [Public Participation in the Community Outcomes Process and the Development of the Wellington Region Genuine Progress Indicators: Feb 09, unpublished].

“Any initiative must have influence to give a sense of meaning for participants…..One of the principal reasons offered for low levels of participant motivation was a perception that the public had little influence over agency decisions…. increasing influence helps to build trust, which in turn fosters participation”.

Deliberation creates an environment in which the exchange of perspectives arising from social difference constructively builds a common ground for community development. Deliberation fosters social learning, can be effective at dealing with conflict and can change people’s perspectives and preferences. Deliberation requires careful facilitation and planning”.

Effective deliberation needs good representation. Extra effort is required to ensure that frequently unheard groups are engaged, such as youth, indigenous peoples, disabled and migrant groups.

Inclusion or representativeness provides legitimacy to the outcomes of public participation. A study found that 60% of public participation processes were not-representative of the general public, leaving those that do not participate excluded from both the process and ownership.

New ways of hosting meetings and harvesting innovative ideas and concepts need to be found. A deliberative process, will bring clarity to where benefits and disadvantages lie, and where there needs to be some rebalancing.

Can we develop the grand vision that will take us into a post-carbon future?

Transport

GW plans and funds most public transport, and is now looking at when and how often services run, and how they connect with each other.

The system suffers from decades of neglect. Trolley bus and rail networks have been allowed to run down. There is a large amount of infra structure work that still has to be done, upgrading rail stations, the lines, signalling, stabling yards.

New trains have been purchased and will begin to come into service mid 2010.
Real time information displays will also be rolled out in 250 separate locations over the 12 months, and then when you next text for a departure time from your stop, it will be real time, not just a timetable. The next thing is integrated ticketing, and NZTA (Transport Agency) is investigating a system which will be operable over the whole country.

However, that is not the end of the matter. We need to design a network that will work for mums and dads, children and of course singles, through the weekend, during evenings, and on weekdays, and for the carriage of cycles. That means including destinations to sports fields, shopping centres, recreational spots such as Red Rocks…

And the active modes have to be supported. Gil Penalosa, the transport engineer who redesigned Bogota’s transport system, says that there are only 1 or 2% kamikaze cyclists who will mix it with car traffic. If you paint a white line on the road, that increases to 5%. Then if you construct a special cycle way, protected from the traffic by shrubs, then 30% will venture out.

There is space for this in Wellington, especially if we remove a few car parks, as is happening in some European countries. Options are presently being developed for a dedicated cycle/walk way between Petone and Nguaranga, and we hope this will be the foundation of a Great Harbour Way.

Question: What role should the private car play in a post carbon society?

Regional Water Strategy

There is a proposal before Greater Wellington to bring together the Three Waters, potable, storm water and sewage under a Committee containing both Iwi and GW Councillors.

The disruption of the small water cycle is accompanied by growing extremes in the weather, a gradual drop in groundwater reserves, more frequent flooding, longer periods of drought and an increase in the water shortage in the region.

Can a new Committee structure allow more collaborative conservation at the local level, rain water collection tanks, permeable surfaces, compost toilets, grey water recycling? Or do we further com-modify water, build dams.

GW will be assisting in financing elements of the New Green Deal, that allows you to repay loans through your rates, for clean heat and insulation upgrades, and this could be extended to rain water collection tanks.

Question: Are water meters an essential component of a conservation strategy?

New Urbanism

Now is the time to wake up to the power of solar, irresistible cities, community gardens, a great harbour way, energy efficient buildings, and make our region the best post-carbon place to be.

For more information

Contact Regional Councillor Paul Bruce
paul.bruce@greens.org.nz
phone: 04 9728699 cellphone:021 02719370

Allow Cycle racks on buses!

Paul Bruce — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:42:54 +0000

Greater Wellington has a report on the Transport and Access agenda
on Carriage of cycles on buses and trains.

Report 6: the Transport and Access Committee on Carriage of Cycles on Buses and Trains

This report includes a review of the recent survey of people using trains, and a Environment Canterbury trial of racks on buses. The good news is that cycles can still be carried for free on trains (but with possible restrictions on peak hour Matangi trains).

The bad news is that the Report recommends against carriage of bikes on buses.

The report says that there has been little demand for bikes to be carried on buses, and recommends that Greater Wellington not install bike racks on buses, or move to carry bikes inside buses.

This is very contentious. The general public has never been consulted at all. The Public Transport Review was circulated to 50,000 Wellingtonians, and could have included a relevant question but didn’t!

What you can do

Request a copy of the Wellington Public Transport Review from the Greater Wellington reception, freephone 0800 496 734, or you can send an email to ptreview@gw.govt.nz

Contact myself, Paul Bruce indicating your support for cycle carriage on buses, and/or Peter Glensor

Summary of Bikes on Buses report

This report reviews Environment Canterbury’s experience with racks on small buses (competed in Nov 08), and an extended trail to large buses, to be completed in April 2010.

NZ Transport Agency has advised that there will be an amendment to a Ministry of Transport rule change, to allow for bike racks without special exemptions being necessary. Bikes may be carried inside a bus only if the bus has been designed and built accordingly. Bikes may be transported at the outside rear of a bus provided certain conditions are met.

NZ Bus is opposed to the carriage of cycles inside buses on health and safety grounds, and indicates that they believe that the addition of cycle racks would pose significant issues for bus storage at depots.

The cost to Greater Wellington to provide racks for 450 buses amounts to about $1m, or $2000 per rack.

The report states that there has been little demand for bikes to be carried on buses.

Please free to ring me at any time.

For more information

Contact Regional Councillor Paul Bruce
paul.bruce@greens.org.nz
phone: 04 9728699 cellphone:021 02719370

Wellington Public Transport Review

Great Harbour Way

Paul Bruce — Sat, 23 May 2009 23:07:08 +0000

Following the deaths of a Transport Safety Officer last year,the need for a safe cycleway around the Wellington Harbour became more urgently apparent.

This is also a great opportunity for a tourist attraction that allows visitors and locals to walk or cycle the entire length of the harbour coastline.

What’s happening

Fran Wilde, chair of the Greater Wellington Regional Council agreed to call a meeting of all local agencies on a urgent resolution to the inadequate cycling facilities between Petone and Wellington.

A new Greater Wellington regional cycle plan went through the public submission stage, with an excellent outcome supporting an expanded network including the Great Harbour Way.

Following intense lobbying by other Cycle Aware and Living Streets members, Hutt and Wellington City Council also included mention of the Great Harbour Way in their cycle plans.

The NZ Transport Agency will now report back in August 2009 on a number of options for the cycle/walking path between Nguaranga and Petone.

For more information

Contact City Councillor Celia Wade-Brown
celia.wadebrown@greens.org.nz
phone: 04-938 6691 cellphone: 027 483 6691

Contact Regional Councillor Paul Bruce
paul.bruce@greens.org.nz
phone: 04 9728699
cellphone:021 02719370

Community resilience plan

Paul Bruce — Sat, 23 May 2009 08:55:08 +0000

A Community resilience Plan is urgently needed to address possible energy supply disruptions.

Energy prices are rising because global oil demand continues to exceed global oil production and we have not planned an orderly transition to alternatives. The International Energy Agency is warning of oil supply problems in the coming year, and Goldman Sachs predicts oil price rises taking petrol above $3 a litre by the end of the year.

Many aspects of society – transport, agriculture, trade, tourism, and manufacturing, to name just a few – are heavily dependent on oil. Continuing oil price rises and possible supply shortages may lead to severe impacts on the Wellington region’s economy, and widen the gap between rich and poor.

Appropriate use and management of such resources will be critical in meeting our lifestyle needs in the future. It is important that a Community Resilience Plan be developed to investigate the effects of oil depletion and oil price rises, and recommend steps that they should take to prepare for and mitigate these impacts. All sectors and community groups should be involved in developing this Plan.

Whether the underlying reasons for this are geological, economic, or both, the effect is that the cost of fuel in New Zealand has increased rapidly. The Wellington region has enough renewable energy resources to support the region’s electricity needs. As the current global food crisis shows, the price of oil affects far more than just transport, although it is transport where the effect is felt first.

To ensure long term resilience in the face of continued oil price increases, we need to adapt by shifting expenditure from transport which is dependent on oil to transport which is not, and then look at other areas that will be affected.

Greater Wellington Regional Council Resolutions

Investigate effects of oil price rises and potential shortages on the Wellington region
Recommend steps to prepare for and mitigate impacts on transport, agriculture, trade, tourism, manufacturing…
Convene a forum to bring key players and interest groups to set terms of reference for formulating a Community Resilience Plan

References

Peak Oil Task Force Recommendations from Portland
Resilient Communities: A Guide to Disaster Management
Transition Towns charter that started in the UK a few years ago, and is now taking root in many New Zealand communities, also provides a useful model.

For more information

Contact Regional Councillor Paul Bruce
paul.bruce@greens.org.nz
phone: 04 9728699 cellphone:021 02719370

Stop the Basin Reserve Flyover!

Iona Pannett — Sat, 23 May 2009 00:20:15 +0000

The NZ Transport Agency has recently announced its willingness to fund the ill-conceived flyover project.

The flyover would lift traffic above the Basin Reserve fenceline. The flyover will ruin its amenity, detract from its appeal as an international sporting cricket venue, and create even more car traffic in the area.

Sign petition online

Download and print the petition

The NZ Transport Agency now estimates the cost of the Basin Reserve flyover has nearly doubled to more than $47 million since the project was announced in 2006.

Public consultation showing 79 per cent opposition to the flyover has been ignored by the New Zealand Transport Agency and the Greater Wellington Regional Council in giving approval for the structure.

This isn’t worth destroying the character of the Basin Reserve and its neighbourhood.

What can you do?

Sign the petition online
Download and print the petition

You can also donate to the campaign:

Deposit into the Wellington Greens Kiwibank account, 38-9000-0202172-01 or
Send a cheque to Wellington Greens at PO Box 11 652, Wellington, marked Basin Reserve Flyover campaign

For more information contact:

Green MP Sue Kedgley

More information on Sue Kedgley on the Green Party website
Contact: sue.kedgley@parliament.govt.nz

Councillor Iona Pannett

phone 04 384-3382 or 021-227-8509
email: iona.pannett@wcc.govt.nz.

Wellington Greens » Transport

Guzzling Gas or going Green: transport strategy update

Regional Councillor Paul Bruce reports on changes in the Transport Plan

Presentation to the Rotary Club of Wellington, May 2010

Well, what about Wellington?

Greater Wellington funds public transport

Roads of National Significance (RoNS)

Urban form – access rather than mobility

Tram – Train

Active modes

Moving our City with Free Public Transport

Number of CBD parking spaces in 1996 per 1000 CBD jobs

Zero fare public transport services

“The Thrill is Gone”

For more information

Moving our city with free public transport

Fare increases: bad timing

Use the business levy

Other advantages to alternative transport

Car parking

Creative solutions

Number of CBD parking spaces in 1996 per 1000 CBD jobs

Zero fare public transport services

Links

Economic benefits of people-friendly streets

For more information

Greater Wellington submissions needed by April 23rd

Proposed GW Annual Plan 2010/11

1: Public transport fare increase of 3% (plus amount GST increase) for upgrade improvements

2: Refurbishment program of the Ganz Mavag rail fleet at an estimated cost of $8 million (page 25 on full report)

3: Water Supply

Proposed Wellington Regional Land Transport Strategy 2010-2040

For more information

Give buses priority on Courtenay Place

Walking increased

Natural allies

References

Contact me

Petition: Stop the Basin Reserve flyover

Local government and the environment

Collaborative communities

Sustainability and natural resilience

Consultation

Pathways to Resilient Communities

Transport

Regional Water Strategy

New Urbanism

For more information

Allow Cycle racks on buses!

What you can do

Summary of Bikes on Buses report

For more information

Great Harbour Way

What’s happening

Links

For more information

Community resilience plan

Greater Wellington Regional Council Resolutions

References

For more information

Stop the Basin Reserve Flyover!

What can you do?

For more information contact:

Links