New Zealand’s Capital City Abandons $7.4 Billion Transport Plan
The campaign received criticism for its excessive spending on consultants’ fees, which ballooned while planned infrastructure projects failed to materialize.
The new National-led coalition government has rescinded a transport plan for Wellington, New Zealand’s capital, which aimed to make strategic improvements in state highways through large-scale projects, and invest in mass transit options and better airport connectivity in the amount of $7.4 billion (US$4.6 billion).
This campaign championed large-scale transit initiatives like a second tunnel at Mount Victoria, a change of the road layout around the Basin Reserve roundabout for extending the Arras Tunnel, and promoting walking, public transport, cycle lanes, and pedestrianizing a main retail and hospitality strip known as “The Golden Mile.”
However, the campaign was criticized for excessive spending on consultants’ fees, and it was eventually terminated by joint agreement of central and local government officials and the New Zealand Transport Agency on Dec. 17.
Prime Minister Chris Luxon referred to the LGWM campaign as an “expensive flop.”
“I think Wellingtonians have paid over $160 million on consultants, so it was very good to sit down and get to an accommodation with the Wellington City Council,” said Mr. Luxon on Sunday.
A 2nd Chance
Housing and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop spoke about how bureaucracy had stymied the campaign, and that officials were “exhausted” by the time taken to get approval on shovel-ready projects and expenditure due to LGWM having to seek approval from council and government despite being autonomous.
The new government has created the chance for a reset after significant time and money were invested with little progress. Mr. Bishop said the government was “extremely committed” to the project and intended to push on with constructing a second Mount Victoria Tunnel, start works around the Basin Reserve, and continue the revitalization of the Golden Mile.
Despite the dissolution of LGWM, the government aims to move forward with certain construction projects for the city, such as building a second 700-metre-long tunnel north of the existing one for traffic and promoting light rail as an alternative.
Wellington’s Mayor Tory Whanau voiced her opposition to a second Mount Victoria Tunnel and also acknowledged the importance of delivering infrastructure that Wellington desperately needs. Prime Minister Luxon expressed his comfort with the decision to abandon LGWM, saying, “I don’t make any apologies because they’re phantom projects, they haven’t been happening.”
