Chch transport projects at risk with multimillion-dollar shortfall

Friday, 6 September 2024

The Christchurch projects which missed out on funding were mostly aimed at improving intersections, public transport infrastructure and cycleways.

The Christchurch City Council will need to find another $30 million - or axe up to 20 transport projects - following the Government’s transport funding announcement this week.

Waka Kotahi - NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) announced a $32.9 billion investment over three years into transport and roading across Aotearoa on Monday, but on Wednesday city councillors were told almost two dozen projects didn’t make the cut.

But in some good news, an NZTA spokesperson told The Press the agency may actually contribute nearly $50m towards the replacement of Pages Rd bridge, despite only announcing $13m earlier this week.

The Christchurch projects that missed out on funding were mostly aimed at improving intersections, public transport infrastructure and cycleways.

City councillor Sam MacDonald says the council should focus on maximising the road maintenance funding NZTA offered, rather than pay for projects out of pocket.

The Wheels to Wings cycleway was the most expensive project on the list, budgeted at $17.5m over three years. It is an area sorely lacking in cycling infrastructure, staff have said, but may cost up to $35m to complete.

Several other cycleways failed to secure co-funding, including proposed major cycleways like the Heathcote Expressway and Ōpāwaho (Heathcote) River routes, and links to the Northern Line and University routes.

Some $7.2m was earmarked for public transport improvements on Lincoln Rd between Curletts and Wrights roads, while almost $4m was hoped to go towards upgrading Cathedral Square and nearby streets, including the stretch between the square and new Court Theatre.

Councillor Sara Templeton says projects that improved people’s safety and wellbeing were worthy of council investment with or without NZTA.

Based on figures in the council’s transport capital works programme, the projects not being co-funded were expected to cost $63m over three years, indicating a funding shortfall of up to $32m (as NZTA typically - but not always - co-funds at 51%).

This doesn’t include the cost of upgrading the streets surrounding Te Kaha stadium ahead of its opening in 2026, which NZTA hasn’t ruled out funding, but said was unlikely.

Councillor Sara Templeton doesn’t want to see these projects kicked to the curb.

She said projects that improved people’s safety and well being were worthy of council investment with or without NZTA.

The Wheels to Wings cycleway was the most expensive project the Government wouldn’t co-fund, but was in an area sorely lacking in cycling infrastructure, staff say.

Cycleway improvements would help get kids to school safely, and give “real options” to the 13% of adults she said lived in Christchurch but didn’t have a driver’s licence.

But councillor Sam MacDonald said the council should focus on maximising NZTA’s funding, which offers $160m in pothole prevention and $114.6m in local road operations.

He said Christchurch residents complained about roading more than any other council service and the National-led Government’s transport priorities gave them a solution.

“The game has changed,” he said.

“I suspect Wheels to Wings will be off the table if we need to fully fund it. I don’t think the public will tolerate that.”

NZTA expects to make almost $50m available to the Pages Rd bridge project, but most won’t be needed until the next three-year tranche of transport investment.

Councillor Mark Peters was also pleased with the emphasis on maintenance, but he and councillor Jake McLellan were disappointed in public transport investment (particularly funding to progress mass rapid transit planning) falling by the wayside.

“I’m concerned we might struggle to secure a fair deal for Christchurch,” McLellan said.

In a letter to elected members, Lynette Ellis, council’s head of transport, said staff were still getting details and figuring out what the impact on the transport programme will be.

The council has tentatively scheduled an information session for September 17, but the issue (with options for potential changes) would likely be discussed over multiple workshops, Ellis said.

The Government’s $13m contribution towards Pages Rd bridge has been classified as “probable”, she said, which meant funds were likely but not necessarily guaranteed.

An NZTA spokesperson told The Press the $13m announced on Monday was about 51% of the anticipated spend on a replacement bridge over the next three years.

More than $35m in additional funds has been earmarked for the 2028 financial year onwards, she said. NZTA expected to contribute 51% to the $80m project, though it remains unclear if the entire project (which includes widening the roads leading to the new bridge and adding a cycleway) will be eligible.

The much larger figure wasn’t announced this week because it falls into a separate round of funding.

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