Ngauranga to Airport Strategy
UNNECESSARY FLYOVERS AT THE EXPENSE OF LIGHT RAIL
Unnecessary flyovers and tunneling projects - otherwise known as grade separation (different levels of roadways) - may not be needed at the Basin Reserve if the real focus is on reducing road traffic.
This is one of the points made by the Wellington Civic Trust in its submission to the Ngauranga-to-Airport Draft Corridor Plan, said Chris Watson, Convenor of the Civic Trust’s Traffic & Transport Committee who presented the Trust’s submission to Greater Wellington chair Fran Wilde this week.
“It’s a timely opportunity to acknowledge upwards trends in oil price and uncertain futures for supply, with a renewed focus on public transport,” Mr. Watson said.
The Civic Trust also urged an immediate feasibility study for a light rail and priority lane network for buses rather than deferring it for the 5 to 10 years proposed by the council. “The right time is now. The experience of Adelaide, where an electric rail line has just been extended through CBD streets to a more logical terminus, can provide cost and benefit data very relevant to Wellington,” Watson says.
Also supporting this Civic Trust submission on sustainable public transport was Guy Marriage, President of The Architectural Centre. Mr. Marriage said “The proposals by the Civic Trust are simply common sense in the current global context. They will improve vitality by making meaningful connections across the city.” He concluded noting that “Public transport, cycling and walking needs to be put first in the council’s to-do list. Currently the city is cut up by by-passes and state highways. The harbour is cut off from the life of the city by the 6 lanes of traffic along the waterfront. The Civic Trust’s proposals help address these obstructions.”
Greater Wellington Regional Council is currently hearing public submissions on the draft. The final Ngauranga-to-Airport Corridor Plan is due to be released before the end of this year. The Civic Trust’s view is that the final plan will be good for Wellington if it:
reduces traffic,
improves cycling and walking routes, and
creates a first class public transport network.
