Wellington transport changes predicted to add more traffic to central city

Monday, 10 February 2025

The new tunnels and other planned Wellington road traffic changes are forecast to add more traffic on Karo Dr, part of State Highway 1, in the evening peak. (File photo)

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Former Transport Minister Simeon Brown pushed on with a gridlock-busting traffic plan pre-warned it would further choke two central Wellington arterial roads during peak times, a newly released government document shows.

Modelling released by Waka Kotahi NZTA under the Official Information Act shows plans to create second Mount Victoria and Terrace tunnels will theoretically save travel time in places, but the morning rush hour will likely see 15% more traffic on Vivian St and and 20% more in the afternoon peak on Karo Dr.

The new National-led coalition Government had three options when it chucked out the previous Labour government’s $7.4 billion Let’s Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) transport overhaul, which included mass rapid transit such as trams, for a more car-centric plan.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown, left, promised faster bus journeys with his Basin Reserve changes and new tunnels. But Green Transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter, centre, and Greater Wellington Regional Council transport committee chairperson Thomas Nash previously pointed to a bottleneck-shaped flaw ... one that government documents now confirm.

In November, Brown announced NZTA’s preferred choice for the “middle option” – between one mega-tunnel and a second Mt Victoria tunnel, plus Basin reserve road changes. The middle option kept the second Mt Victoria tunnel and Basin Reserve changes, but added a second tunnel under the Terrace.

Brown said the package would “reduce Wellington’s gridlock and support economic growth” and promised bus time savings of up to 11 minutes at peak times, but Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter and Greater Wellington Regional Council transport committee chairperson Thomas Nash warned of a significant problem. The plan did not solve the Vivian St bottleneck riddle.

The cross-city road has seven sets of traffic lights with little scope to expand. The now-released modelling shows the preferred option would increase peak hour traffic volumes on Vivian St and Karo Dr. Both are part of State Highway 1.

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau: “Instead of pouring money into building new tunnels, the Government should be supporting us in making public transport more accessible and reliable.”

The modelling factored in changing Vivian St from two to three lanes.

It predicted waterfront traffic volumes, avoiding Karo Dr and Vivian St, would would be about 10% lower in peak times and some other cross-city trips would be faster.

Nash on Sunday said the released documents showed what was obvious to any serious observer ‒ more traffic in the central city, slowing more people down.

Seven sets of traffic lights, six on Vivian St alone, stand in the route of Transport Minister Simeon Brown's solution to Wellington traffic woes.

It also confirmed Vivian St would go from two to three lanes, at the cost central city car parks.

While bus savings times, previously cited by Brown, were in the documents The Post previously reported those times relied on a bus priority project along the Harbour Quays, which NZTA confirmed it had no plans for in the current three-year funding period beyond a couple of business cases.

Nash said, with a lot redacted from the released information, it seemed the true predictions of times saved were still not known and any claimed time savings could disappear without the harbour quays bus lanes.

“There’s an opportunity for the new transport minister to signal that these projects, which the Government plans rely on, should be funded without delay,” he said.

Genter said the public transport ditched with the demise of LGWM would have taken cars off the road.

Wellington mayor Tory Whanau said public transport was the key to tacking congestion and sustainability.

“Instead of pouring money into building new tunnels, the Government should be supporting us in making public transport more accessible and reliable,” she said.

Brown’s office was approached for comment on Sunday, but referred it on Chris Bishop, the Hutt South MP who recently took over the transport portfolio. Bishop’s office said potential traffic impacts were being worked through as part of the project development phase.

Clarification: An earlier version of this story said the 15% and 20% figures were increased travel times. This should have been increased travel volumes. NZTA had supplied an incorrect table. (Amended February 11, 2025, 3.30pm)