NZTA admits it had no power over final package for Let's Get Wellington Moving programme
Thursday, 29 August 2019
Construction of Wellington's extra Mt Victoria tunnel was pushed back at least five years despite official advice that doing so would have 'several potential downsides'.
The admission came as the New Zealand Transport Agency also revealed it had no say in the final make-up of the $6.4 billion Let's Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) transport package, and that none of the projects in the plan were guaranteed to happen.
The extra tunnel on State Highway 1 was originally proposed to get under way by 2024, but was pushed back to 2029 when the final package was revealed in May.
That's despite advice to Transport Minister Phil Twyford in April warning the $700 million project needed to go ahead sooner rather than later.
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The ministry warned delaying the project would lead to poor-quality walking and cycling connections between the Basin Reserve and eastern suburbs, unreliable journey times between central Wellington and the airport, and the ongoing redirecting of state highway traffic to an increasingly congested Adelaide Rd and waterfront quays.
NZTA interim chief executive Mark Ratcliffe told the transport and infrastructure select committee on Thursday the decision to delay the project was outside of the agency's control, even though it was a joint partner in the programme along with Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council.
'The final elements of the package were decided by ministers and the local elected officials.'
National MP Chris Bishop said that seemed odd given NZTA had to sign off on the programme's proposals, each of which was subject to a business case and public consultation.
'Actually, transport investments are up to the [NZTA] board. You decide that, not ministers. What happens if we start doing a light rail business case, for example, and the board just can't approve it? What happens then?
NZTA chair Sir Brian Roche said that would require the programme to be 'rejigged'.
He admitted it was possible some of the projects might not go ahead if the business cases did not stack up. 'But we don't use a single measure as the thing that makes the decision. The board makes the decision, not a BCR [benefit-cost ratio].'
While the agency was not involved in producing the LGWM Cabinet paper, it did advise not to delay the tunnel project, Roche said.
LGWM programme director Andrew Body said transport planners were following directions set out in the Cabinet paper.
When asked why the Mt Victoria tunnel project had been delayed, he said: 'That's a question for the minister'.
Twyford is currently overseas and could not be reached for comment.
A spokesman from his office said it was important to note the ministry's aide memoire to Twyford also stressed the importance of prioritising public transport.
'From a mode shift perspective, it is important for the rapid transit, other public transport, walking and cycling investments to be built ahead of extra road capacity.
'This then 'leaves the door open' to see whether the road capacity really is still required once the alternatives are in place.'
However, it was revealed in June the extra tunnel was in fact likely to favour public transport over private vehicles.