Commitment questioned on $4.4b promised for wider region in Let's Get Wellington Moving

Tuesday, 21 May 2019

Funding has been approved for an interchange on State Highway 2 at Melling.

Billions are being promised for Wellington by Transport Minister Phil Twyford but some are accusing the government of misleading the public.

Twyford announced on Thursday $4.4 billion would be earmarked for regional transport projects, on top of the $6.4b announced for Wellington City's Let's Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) project.

But the promised $4.4b was two decades away from arriving and no projects had been committed to, the Ministry of Transport acting manager for demand management and revenue Brent Lewers, said

At the LGWM announcement last week Twyford promises $4.4b for the wider Wellington region.

Twyford and Wellington Mayor Justin Lester have been accused of being 'tricky' by promising billions for the wider region to make the city-centred LGWM project easier to swallow.

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Brett Hudson believes the government is being 'tricky' with its promise of $4.4 billion for the wider Wellington region.

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Funding for a proposed interchange at Melling in Lower Hutt won't be considered for at least 10 years.

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Wellington Mayor Justin Lester says the billions are to fund every project in the Wellington Regional Land Transport Plan.

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'They're trying to tell Wellingtonians that this commitment will not stop other projects around the immediate city and region,' National Party associate transport spokesperson Brett Hudson said.

Kāpiti Mayor K Gurunathan says he is 'just happy that something is happening'.

Twyford said Hudson's claims were 'politicking' and blamed the National Party for contributing 'nothing to Wellington's transport for nine years'.

Hutt Valley commuters are crying out for an interchange on State Highway 2 at Melling to relieve traffic congestion.

In a column in the Dominion Post on Monday, Lester said a number of projects would get funding through the $4.4b.

Speaking to Stuff, Lester said the the fund would pay for every project in the Wellington Regional Land Transport Plan but had 'not yet' been assigned to any specific one.

But two Hutt Valley roading projects have hit major speed-bumps in recent months despite their projected costs adding up to considerably less than the regional budget Lester said would be available for regional transport projects.

The first project was a proposed $72m interchange on State Highway 2 at Melling, including a new bridge over the Hutt River, and the second a proposed $270m highway between Petone and Grenada.

The Melling interchange has been shelved for at least a decade.

Both have been shelved by the New Zealand Transport Agency for at least a decade.

Other regional projects include the $100m-plus Ōtaki to north of Levin highway, which is still under investigation by NZTA, and $96m for rail improvements in Wairarapa.

An artist's impression of the Petone-to-Grenada highway, delayed for a decade.

Upper Hutt City Council Mayor Wayne Guppy believes projects currently on the cards for the wider region don't add up to the billions set aside.

Twyford said business cases would need to be considered for any project within the $4.4b fund before being given the go-ahead.

Kāpiti Mayor K Gurunathan said he understood the need for the fund to be 'contestable' and that the government couldn't commit to any transport project in the region without a business case.

Hudson said not allocating the fund to any projects meant 'it is not an accurate statement to say that those projects will go ahead'.

He also believed the total size of the regional package had been overinflated to reassure the wider region's voters they wouldn't miss out.

'It gives the impression to Wellingtonians that they [the Government] are investing larger amounts than they actually are in the Wellington region.'

Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy also questioned the $4.4b figure quoted for the projects proposed: 'It would get nowhere near that, I don't think.'

Lewers said the figure was made up of $1.4b inflation and $3b for the following projects: Petone to Grenada, Melling interchange, Ōtaki to north of Levin, State Highway1 and SH2 optimisation measures, Hutt cross valley connection, access to the port and proposed new ferry terminal and an additional $500m allowance.

Gurunathan said he could only take the Minister at his word that the promised money would be spent in the region.

'Everybody's been talking about this for bloody decades mate, finally something is moving,' Gurunathan said.

'Bottom line: I'm just happy that something is happening.'