Golden Mile stoush heats up with claims benefits overstated

Tuesday, 1 October 2024

A Wellington city councillor has renewed criticism of controversial plans to revamp the Golden Mile, saying the economic benefits are not only “overcooked” but are “fraudulent”.

Tony Randle, who earlier this year failed in an attempt to have the project stopped until an integrated transport plan for the central city was developed, said the transport modelling didn’t stack up and the so-called “pedestrian realm” benefits were likely overstated.

He said a business case for the $139.4m project, which would see private cars banned from the city’s main entertainment and shopping thoroughfare, “cherry picked” certain benefits while ignoring the disincentives.

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) is locked into funding 51% of the project, and the council the rest.

“Transport modelling shows car travel times will become longer. What is not mentioned in the report, is this same modelling also shows a 7% reduction in those driving into the CBD, or over 8000 people.

“While the business case actually claims a benefit from the estimated 20% of those who are forced to switch to public transport, there is not even a mention of the thousands who simply stop coming into town,” Randle said.

He also took issue with claims that public transport would be faster by having fewer bus stops, and that removing cars along the Golden Mile and adding wider footpaths and planting would reap $247m in “pedestrian realm” benefits, around 60% of the total benefits of the project.

“The calculations do not take account of the longer walking distances that commuters must have from making the bus stops further apart. Removing cars, especially at peak time to get the buses through, can be done now without spending millions on narrowing bus lanes, adding cycleways and extending pavements … you can just put up a few signs.”

While the project was based on providing a better, safer space for pedestrians and cyclists Randle believed it was“fatally flawed” and the cost benefit analysis “fraudulent”.

“The CBD is clearly struggling with attracting Wellingtonians. Going ahead with the project will only make [it] even harder to access for most people and so make this problem worse.”

Research from 2021 that was used in the business case found that around 70,000 people travelled on Lambton Quay and Willis St each day. Up to half of them were on foot, and a similar number used buses. Fewer than 10% of people moved through Lambton Quay in cars.

While fewer people travelled through Manners St and Courtenay Place each day (about 40,000), those streets were also heavily used by bus passengers (about 50 to 70%) and people walking (about 30%).

The report noted that although cyclists accounted for just over 1% or 500 people per weekday (in 2021) the number reflected the then mix of uses, with cyclists sharing road space with large numbers of buses and private vehicles.

Meanwhile an NZTA-commissioned economic survey of nine shopping areas in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington in 2013 found that pedestrians “contribute a higher economic spend” in proportion to their mode share, so were “important to the economic viability of local shopping areas”.

“In contrast to what many shopkeepers believe, people walking and cycling spend $34 per trip on average and shop more often than drivers.”

The study also identified that shoppers valued high quality pedestrian environments and good crossing facilities in shopping areas more than they valued parking.

Randle’s criticism of the Golden Mile project comes two days out from a planned gathering in Courtenay Place to oppose the revamp.

Businessman Alistair Boyce said the event, a “good old fashioned street meeting” was being hosted by mayoral candidate Andrea Compton. Lobby group Better Wellington was helping to organise it.

It would feature a number of speakers, including Compton, representatives of the hospitality sector, and Cafe Eis’ Karl Tiefenbacher, who ran as an independent candidate for Pukehīnau Lambton Ward in February’s council by-election following Tamatha Paul’s win in the general election.

“We just think the project needs to be reconsidered in light of getting the rates and council expenditure down,” Boyce said. “As a city, we can't afford it. It's unsustainable.”

Courtenay Place businesses have previously petitioned the council urging it to stop the upgrades along their stretch.

Signatories included architect Roger Walker, philanthropist Sir Mark Dunajtschik and hospitality leader Mike Egan.