A report recently (Sept 4, 2009) published by John Odgers, a transport analyst at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology has found that the billions of dollars spent building new motorways in Melbourne in the 1990s has failed to bring about the time savings promised by those people behind the new motorways’ construction.
I would strongly urge members of the Wellington Regional Land Transport Committee, New Zealand Transport Association as well as the Minister and officials at the Ministry of Transport to consider this report before setting in motion construction of a flyover at the Basin Reserve.
The recently released National Land Transport Programme (2009/12) has priced investigation, design and construction of the flyover at the Basin Reserve at $47 million. This is a hike from the $33 million price tag the project was given only one year ago!
Construction of a flyover at the Basin Reserve will inevitably lead to duplication of the Mt Victoria Tunnel which was priced at $175 million in 2008.
The $222 million that it would cost to see these two projects undertaken would have far greater (and more sustainable) impact on our region’s future if it were invested in public and active transport initiatives. It is time that we accepted the future will be very different from the present and it is time that we began investing to make this future a livable and sustainable reality.
Showing posts with label Flyover at the Basin Reserve. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Flyover at the Basin Reserve. Show all posts
Friday, September 4, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Stop the flyover - the latest action
Wellington needs YOU!
The New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) has recently (August 2009) released its National Land Transport Programme for 2009/12. The Wellington section of this document sets out plans that could see a flyover constructed at the Basin Reserve at a cost of $47million - a considerable hike on the initial price tag of $33million. What's more, should the flyover be constructed, it will likely lead to duplication of the Mt Victoria Tunnel at a cost of more than $175million.
Funding to acquire the property to construct the flyover is expected to be secured in 2010 while money to design the flyover is expected from 2011/12. Construction would inevitably follow on after that.
However, it is still only 2009 which means that we the people of Wellington still have the chance to prevent this ridiculous road from being built.
So I strongly urge you to come join Sue Kedgley and the Green councillors at the Cambridge Tce entrance to the Basin Reserve next Monday (7th Sept) at 9.15am to launch the Green Party 'no flyover' petition.
Bring your banners, t-shirts and local community. We won't let this unnecessary road building project go ahead!!!
If you are interested in more information you can view the NZTA's Wellington document by clicking on the following link: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Consultation...what a funny term!
On Tuesday I made my first ever oral submission before the Regional Land Transport Committee regarding the flyover at the Basin Reserve.
I began by saying that consultation is based on relationships and trust - this was my first 'test drive' of the peaceful, inclusive form of activism that I am trying to foster. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts to work in a conciliatory way, I was struck by the aggression of the Committee's chair, Councillor Fran Wilde.
Cr Wilde could not help herself from interrupting, arguing and fighting. It proved to be a long, rather disappointing 10 minutes in front of the committee!
Cr Wilde refused to answer my questions of the committee - whether they believe that climate change is happening and whether they have any children and/or grandchildren - she labeled may ways as "interrogation" of the committee. The most unbelieveable thing about it was that she was the only one acting in a way fitting of the term "interrogation"!
While I can understand that Cr Wilde is used to being attacked and has as a result taken on the notion of the 'pre-emptive' strike combined with the technique of carpet bombing, her over zealous behaviour would have made even Dick Cheney and Richard Nixon blush.
The most laughable thing about all of it was that this was meant to be a day for "public consultation"!
All I can say is that I long for the day when these old battlers throw in the towel and we are able to show them that there is another way. A way that is based on trust, dialogue and engagement. Our world's environmental problems stem from a social system that is based on competition and exploitation. Fixing these problems is as much about changing our society, its morals and what it champions as being signifiers of 'wealth' and 'success'.
The one-up-manship espoused by Cr Wilde and her ilk may have been the keys to success in the past, but they've caused the problems that we are now having to deal with. It's time you woke up Cr Wilde, the world has changed and so must you!
I began by saying that consultation is based on relationships and trust - this was my first 'test drive' of the peaceful, inclusive form of activism that I am trying to foster. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts to work in a conciliatory way, I was struck by the aggression of the Committee's chair, Councillor Fran Wilde.
Cr Wilde could not help herself from interrupting, arguing and fighting. It proved to be a long, rather disappointing 10 minutes in front of the committee!
Cr Wilde refused to answer my questions of the committee - whether they believe that climate change is happening and whether they have any children and/or grandchildren - she labeled may ways as "interrogation" of the committee. The most unbelieveable thing about it was that she was the only one acting in a way fitting of the term "interrogation"!
While I can understand that Cr Wilde is used to being attacked and has as a result taken on the notion of the 'pre-emptive' strike combined with the technique of carpet bombing, her over zealous behaviour would have made even Dick Cheney and Richard Nixon blush.
The most laughable thing about all of it was that this was meant to be a day for "public consultation"!
All I can say is that I long for the day when these old battlers throw in the towel and we are able to show them that there is another way. A way that is based on trust, dialogue and engagement. Our world's environmental problems stem from a social system that is based on competition and exploitation. Fixing these problems is as much about changing our society, its morals and what it champions as being signifiers of 'wealth' and 'success'.
The one-up-manship espoused by Cr Wilde and her ilk may have been the keys to success in the past, but they've caused the problems that we are now having to deal with. It's time you woke up Cr Wilde, the world has changed and so must you!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Indoor community sports centre may force flyover
While I certainly don't want to give up on fighting to stop the flyover being built at the Basin Reserve, a friend recently pointed out that there is another issue that I had not yet considered. And, it is one that could quite likely lead to construction of both the flyover and duplication of the Mt Victoria Tunnel.
The recently approved multi-court indoor community sports centre at Cobham Park in Kilbirnie (see map here) will reportedly have 317 car parks and is predicted to result in an "... amount of additional traffic using Mount Victoria Tunnel [that] equates to four years of traffic growth in ‘one big hit’." (see Captial Times article here)
It is likely that this projected increase in use of the Mt Victoria Tunnel will be used by the Wellington City Council as further proof of the need to construct the flyover at the Basin Reserve and duplicate the Mt Victoria Tunnel. The ridiculous point about this is that it is these very issues - transport and access - that Councillor Andy Foster was highlighting when he made his case at the Environment Court (he was calling for the siting of the indoor community sports centre to be in the CBD, near the public transport hub at the train station).
Unfortunately, lack of forethought and acceptance of the dual issues of climate change and peak oil by Wellington's governing bodies may well see yet more roads, more greenhouse gas emissions and more poor urban planning.
While it may take some time to come to fruition, sea level rise may have the last laugh as it returns the Miramar Peninsula to an island, and, in the process flooding the site of the proposed indoor community sports centre!
The recently approved multi-court indoor community sports centre at Cobham Park in Kilbirnie (see map here) will reportedly have 317 car parks and is predicted to result in an "... amount of additional traffic using Mount Victoria Tunnel [that] equates to four years of traffic growth in ‘one big hit’." (see Captial Times article here)
It is likely that this projected increase in use of the Mt Victoria Tunnel will be used by the Wellington City Council as further proof of the need to construct the flyover at the Basin Reserve and duplicate the Mt Victoria Tunnel. The ridiculous point about this is that it is these very issues - transport and access - that Councillor Andy Foster was highlighting when he made his case at the Environment Court (he was calling for the siting of the indoor community sports centre to be in the CBD, near the public transport hub at the train station).
Unfortunately, lack of forethought and acceptance of the dual issues of climate change and peak oil by Wellington's governing bodies may well see yet more roads, more greenhouse gas emissions and more poor urban planning.
While it may take some time to come to fruition, sea level rise may have the last laugh as it returns the Miramar Peninsula to an island, and, in the process flooding the site of the proposed indoor community sports centre!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Some points for your submission on the flyover
With the due date for submissions on the Proposed Regional Land Transport Programme (RLTP) looming - they are due on Friday 24th April at 5pm - I thought it a good time to highlight some points that you may like to put in your submission relating specifically to SH1 at the Basin Reserve. It is this part of the RLTP - SH1 at the Basin Reserve - that may result in construction of a flyover at the Basin Reserve.
1) The Local Government Act, 2002 was designed to encourage community participation in local governance and, as such, a key aspect of local authorities' role is to listen to their communities' input before making a decision. This makes it all the more curious that both the Wellington City Council and the Greater Wellington Regional Council have chosen to ignore previous consultation relating to the flyover in which a resounding 79% of submissions on the Ngauranga to Wellington Airport Plan were OPPOSED to a flyover being built at the Basin Reserve.
2) Building a flyover at the Basin Reserve will simply shift congestion from one side of the Basin Reserve to the other placing increased pressure on the Mount Victoria tunnel which will inevitably lead to duplication of said tunnel at a cost of over $170 million. The flyover at the Basin Reserve must therefore be priced with this in mind - it thus becomes a project worth in the vicinity of $220 million!
3) The Proposed Regional Land Transport Programme (pg. 39) purports that the planned 'grade separation' at the Basin Reserve (i.e. flyover) meets the environmental objectives of the New Zealand Transport Strategy (NZTS). These objectives include to:
- "Halve per capita greenhouse gas emissions from domestic transport by 2040;
- Reduce the kilometres traveled by single occupancy vehicles in major urban areas on weekdays by 10% per capita by 2015 compared to 2007"
It is pretty clear that building a flyover at the Basin Reserve will not achieve these objectives, but, rather, it will induce demand and thereby increase greenhouse gas emissions from the city's transport sector. The authors of the Proposed Regional Land Transport Programme are quite simply lying that the plans for SH1 at the Basin Reserve will meet the NZTS environmental objectives. I imagine that the authors assume that we will take their word for it, not having the time to go and check their facts. This is not only dishonest but manipulative and indicates that they may well have already made their decision.
However, we must not lose hope! We must make submissions to hold them to account and make it clear that we know what they are intending to do. It is most important that we put our opinions and knowledge on paper so that we have a paper trail.
So please, make a submission, it is imperative that the authorities know that we do not want more roads in our city.
The following links may be helpful in researching your submission:
Proposed Regional Land Transport Programme;
New Zealand Transport Strategy;
Save the Basin Trust's form submission available here;
Greater Wellington Regional Council email address for sending submissions: info@gw.govt.nz
1) The Local Government Act, 2002 was designed to encourage community participation in local governance and, as such, a key aspect of local authorities' role is to listen to their communities' input before making a decision. This makes it all the more curious that both the Wellington City Council and the Greater Wellington Regional Council have chosen to ignore previous consultation relating to the flyover in which a resounding 79% of submissions on the Ngauranga to Wellington Airport Plan were OPPOSED to a flyover being built at the Basin Reserve.
2) Building a flyover at the Basin Reserve will simply shift congestion from one side of the Basin Reserve to the other placing increased pressure on the Mount Victoria tunnel which will inevitably lead to duplication of said tunnel at a cost of over $170 million. The flyover at the Basin Reserve must therefore be priced with this in mind - it thus becomes a project worth in the vicinity of $220 million!
3) The Proposed Regional Land Transport Programme (pg. 39) purports that the planned 'grade separation' at the Basin Reserve (i.e. flyover) meets the environmental objectives of the New Zealand Transport Strategy (NZTS). These objectives include to:
- "Halve per capita greenhouse gas emissions from domestic transport by 2040;
- Reduce the kilometres traveled by single occupancy vehicles in major urban areas on weekdays by 10% per capita by 2015 compared to 2007"
It is pretty clear that building a flyover at the Basin Reserve will not achieve these objectives, but, rather, it will induce demand and thereby increase greenhouse gas emissions from the city's transport sector. The authors of the Proposed Regional Land Transport Programme are quite simply lying that the plans for SH1 at the Basin Reserve will meet the NZTS environmental objectives. I imagine that the authors assume that we will take their word for it, not having the time to go and check their facts. This is not only dishonest but manipulative and indicates that they may well have already made their decision.
However, we must not lose hope! We must make submissions to hold them to account and make it clear that we know what they are intending to do. It is most important that we put our opinions and knowledge on paper so that we have a paper trail.
So please, make a submission, it is imperative that the authorities know that we do not want more roads in our city.
The following links may be helpful in researching your submission:
Proposed Regional Land Transport Programme;
New Zealand Transport Strategy;
Save the Basin Trust's form submission available here;
Greater Wellington Regional Council email address for sending submissions: info@gw.govt.nz
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Make a submission on the flyover at the Basin Reserve
Co-founder of Save the Basin Trust, Kent Duston, has published an article about the planned flyover at the Basin Reserve on the Wellington page of Scoop. It's well worth a read and can be found here.
Don't forget, submissions close on Friday 24 April at 5pm.
Even if you just write to say that you oppose a flyover at the Basin Reserve that's great. Just send an email to: info@gw.govt.nz
Make sure you clearly state that it is your submission on the Regional Land Transport Programme (RLTP). You must also include your name, address and phone number. You do not have to be a resident of Wellington to make a submission. This issue is about New Zealand's future. About climate change, peak oil...and cricket! (For those that follow the game!).
So please, take a minute to write to the Greater Wellington Regional Council to voice your opinion of the proposed flyover at the Basin Reserve.
Don't forget, submissions close on Friday 24 April at 5pm.
Even if you just write to say that you oppose a flyover at the Basin Reserve that's great. Just send an email to: info@gw.govt.nz
Make sure you clearly state that it is your submission on the Regional Land Transport Programme (RLTP). You must also include your name, address and phone number. You do not have to be a resident of Wellington to make a submission. This issue is about New Zealand's future. About climate change, peak oil...and cricket! (For those that follow the game!).
So please, take a minute to write to the Greater Wellington Regional Council to voice your opinion of the proposed flyover at the Basin Reserve.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Flyover at the Basin Reserve
So the Dominion Post seems to have stopped publishing my letters.
I'm sure it's all a master conspiracy and the editor is in the pocket of John Key and Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast...
However, they can't censor me here! So, I've copied in below a letter I'd hoped to get in today's edition of the paper:
With the cricketing world turning its attention to Wellington's Basin Reserve this Friday, it is most important to inform them of the Regional Land Transport Committee's plans that could see a flyover built at the iconic cricket ground's northern end. The euphemism 'grade separation' is being used to limit the inevitable collatoral should the public realise what such plans would mean for the Basin Reserve: a concrete monstrosity skirting the ground and likely resulting in construction of a multi-level stand just to block out the flyover's air, noise and visual pollution.
Not only would construction of the flyover make it nigh on impossible to hear the sound of leather on willow, but it would lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions and oil-dependency as commuters are encouraged to continue using the private car as their main mode of transport in the city.
Incidentally submissions relating to the congestion issues at the Basin Reserve are currently open through the Council's Regional Land Transport Programme and I strongly encourage you to make a submission.
Basically, the 'grade separation' (read: flyover) has been placed as the number two priority on the region's land transport programme for the next 3 and 10 year periods which means that there is a high probability that it will be built, and, possibly fast-tracked, as a 'road of national significance'.
I will be writing more about this issue in the coming days. For now, you should check out savethebasin.org.nz. Submissions close on Friday 24th April at 5pm.
This is one way that you can act to help reduce our capital city's dependency on a fossil-fuelled transport system.
I'm sure it's all a master conspiracy and the editor is in the pocket of John Key and Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast...
However, they can't censor me here! So, I've copied in below a letter I'd hoped to get in today's edition of the paper:
With the cricketing world turning its attention to Wellington's Basin Reserve this Friday, it is most important to inform them of the Regional Land Transport Committee's plans that could see a flyover built at the iconic cricket ground's northern end. The euphemism 'grade separation' is being used to limit the inevitable collatoral should the public realise what such plans would mean for the Basin Reserve: a concrete monstrosity skirting the ground and likely resulting in construction of a multi-level stand just to block out the flyover's air, noise and visual pollution.
Not only would construction of the flyover make it nigh on impossible to hear the sound of leather on willow, but it would lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions and oil-dependency as commuters are encouraged to continue using the private car as their main mode of transport in the city.
Incidentally submissions relating to the congestion issues at the Basin Reserve are currently open through the Council's Regional Land Transport Programme and I strongly encourage you to make a submission.
Basically, the 'grade separation' (read: flyover) has been placed as the number two priority on the region's land transport programme for the next 3 and 10 year periods which means that there is a high probability that it will be built, and, possibly fast-tracked, as a 'road of national significance'.
I will be writing more about this issue in the coming days. For now, you should check out savethebasin.org.nz. Submissions close on Friday 24th April at 5pm.
This is one way that you can act to help reduce our capital city's dependency on a fossil-fuelled transport system.
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