Hataitai tunnel debate

A debate about whether more buses should be allowed to use Hataitai bus tunnel took up a good part of last Thursday morning for Wellington city councillors.

Many councillors thought it would be a good idea, but some supported local residents, who want to continue to restrict some buses from using the bus tunnel, and instead have them use the already-congested Mt Victoria tunnel or Newtown.

The debate produced some curious scenarios.

For example, Green councillor Iona Pannett, a Mt Victoria resident, and Mt Victoria Residents' Association representative Kent Duston, a strong environmentalist, both urged that out-of-service diesel buses be barred from the bus tunnel. Though they are vocal proponents of public transport, it seemed they were following the Nimby principle – "not in my back yard". Ms Pannett referred to diesel buses "belching diesel".

The meeting was sparked by an accident in the bus tunnel in 2009 and the desire to improve safety around the tunnel.

Earl Krauskopf was seriously injured while illegally walking through at night. The driver of the car that hit him was also in the tunnel illegally.

The discussion, at the council's strategy and policy meeting, morphed into a John Cleese-like free-for-all about which buses could use the bus tunnel, rather than focusing strictly on improved safety.

The result was that the tunnel was declared a bus lane, opening it to use by not-in-service trolley buses. It was formerly supposed to be used only by buses on scheduled services. Out-of-service diesel buses would be allowed to use the tunnel only at times of unusual congestion.

Wellington City Council has engaged Armourguard to use tripod-mounted cameras to monitor motorists unlawfully in the tunnel. Offenders will face $150 fines.

Council infrastructure performance manager Jon Visser said officers would not be able to ticket pedestrians, but would warn them.

- The Wellingtonian