Options for Wellington's mass transit and second Mt Victoria tunnel due to be released in April
Wednesday, 17 February 2021
The lead author of a scathing review recommending Wellington’s $6.4 billion Let’s Get Wellington Moving transport programme be “reset” to avoid possible failure says it’s up to project managers whether they choose to take the advice.
The project managers aren’t saying anything at all. Director Andrew Body has repeatedly refused to comment on the damning review since it was released last week.
But those behind it are pushing ahead with the plans anyway, with Wellington Mayor Andy Foster saying options for three flagship projects – a mass public transport system, an extra Mt Victoria tunnel and a new road separating local and state highway traffic at the Basin Reserve – would be presented to the public by mid-April.
“That’s their prerogative,” independent consultant Fiona Mules said about the decision to ignore the panel’s recommendation. “All we can do as an adviser is give advice. Whether people take it or not, that’s a different story.”
The project, aimed at alleviating Wellington’s increasingly bad traffic problems, has been plagued with delays, uncertainty and disagreements since its inception.
As a result, the central government commissioned an external review in September last year. The three consultants found problems within the programme including a lack of strategic leadership, a detrimental culture, and a “process-driven” approach.
They recommended developing a revised programme with updated objectives, timelines and costs, which the programme’s partnership board has said it will complete by March.
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Mules said the report appeared to be well-received by the programme’s partners when it was presented to them.
“I didn’t get a feeling when we were presenting the report that they weren’t on board with it,” she said.
“There is no silver bullet here. I don’t think anyone’s talking about fundamental shifts at all, it’s just making sure it’s still relevant.”
Body, who took over from Barry Mein to lead the roll-out phase of the project, was “unavailable for interviews,” said Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.
The agency, one of the three partners in the programme along with Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council, said in a statement that the programme team was focused on dealing with the review’s findings.
Foster, who sits on the programme’s governance reference group, told Radio NZ on Wednesday the three-party joint venture was “not set up properly”, with none of the organisations able to comment independently on the programme.
It’s understood city and regional councillors received the report on Friday morning, the day it was publicly released.
City councillor Diane Calvert said elected members were being overlooked by the programme’s management, despite representing its partner organisations.
Councillors should have been involved before a “please explain” letter was sent by Transport Minister Michael Wood to the programme board.
“I was surprised the minister did not discuss his concerns with the governance layer of the partner organisations before finalising his letter.”