The Local - Mt VictoriaWill a new Mt Victoria tunnel really get underway within three years? The Government is determined to fix traffic bottlenecks in Wellington. But some Mt Victoria residents believe that a proposed new tunnel can be stopped or delayed - and they are gearing up for a fight. Mt Victoria has form in this regard, having defeated plans for a Basin Reserve flyover after a concerted legal battle nine years ago. But this time, they will be up against new, permissive ‘fast-track’ legislation.
Meanwhile a ‘mega tunnel’ is now being seriously considered by the Government, that would remove the need for a Mt Victoria tunnel altogether.
Mt Victoria residents aired their concerns about a potential new tunnel at a public meeting hosted by the Residents’ Association in April, attended by around 20 people, including local councillors Iona Pannett and Geordie Rogers.
The Association subsequently made a submission to the select committee examining the new Fast Track bill asking to remove the proposed Mt Victoria tunnel from the list of projects to be referred for fast tracking.
If fast tracked, the project would bypass usual resource management processes, and there would be no requirement for public consultation.
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has indicated that the Mt Victoria tunnel will be on the list of projects to be referred.
Association president Ellen Blake said the lack of detail in the public arena was concerning. Residents could only comment on the bill before the select committee, not the project itself.
“Where is the road going to go, because there’s not an actual design.”
Demetri Christoforou of Trams Action said a better option for the city would be a rail system that extended the existing track from Johnsonville, through the golden mile, taking in all main points, like hospital and zoo, then under Mt Albert to the airport runway – then see if more capacity needed.
“We have to admit there is congestion. But the thing is, we should be moving people not cars.”
Another local resident said he wasn’t necessarily opposed to the tunnel but was worried it would be for cars only.
“The worst situation would be not to allow cycleways and walking.”
Alan Olliver from the Mt Victoria Historical Society said it was significant that the Basin Reserve Board of Inquiry and the High Court had both agreed that the southern end of Mt Victoria was an important part of the Basin Reserve’s heritage.
“As a historic society we want to see this end of Mt Victoria saved. Houses could be protected, they could be moved back or moved, as they were with Karo Drive.”
Tim Jones from Save the Basin said that the group had previously managed to stop the flyover despite the odds being stacked against them.
“As a group, we said this flyover is so bad, we are going to attempt to defeat it.
“Was that easy? No. But we did it.
“The Government has generated the sense that it’s inevitable. But that’s what they thought ten years ago. They didn’t manage to do it then, and I think we shouldn’t work on the assumption that they will manage to do it now.”
Councillor Pannett said the cost of the project would inevitably blow out and that would cause government to think again.
“Really, it’s going to be the money that stops it.
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