Flyover plan faces resistance

A planned flyover to speed traffic past the Basin Reserve faces a rocky road forward.

The New Zealand Transport Agency, Greater Wellington regional council and Wellington City Council are planning to build the $33 million, two-way road in the next 10 years, saying it is vital to a future high-quality public transport system across the city.

However, following a public meeting at St Joseph's Church in Mt Victoria on Tuesday, November 25, a charitable trust has been set up to oppose it.

Among those who attended was former hockey international Suzie Muirhead. Her great, great grandfather, Colonel Edward Pierce, was the first elected president of Wellington Cricket at the time the Basin Reserve ground was formed. Martin and Jeff Crowe are her cousins.

According to stories passed down her family, Colonel Pierce originally donated the land to the city for use as a cricket ground, though Ms Muirhead cannot validate that.

"That's what my parents have told me," she says.

Ms Muirhead has tried to confirm the story with Land Information New Zealand, but title records of the time are inconclusive.

She says someone donating land at that time would not have foreseen any need to protect it from this kind of development.

"But the way that I see it, whether it was gifted by my great, great grandfather or not, the purpose of the land was originally intended for cricket."

Trust spokespersons Kent Duston and Iona Pannett say the planned flyover's effect on the iconic ground and surrounding neighbourhood would be devastating.

"It would move congestion from one side of the Basin to the other," Mr Duston says. The flyover project is also part of a bigger agenda being driven incrementally, rather than being considered strategically as a whole.

"That's why we think it is worth taking a stand on the Basin."

Ms Pannett, who is also a Green Party Wellington city councillor, says a road spending spree is inappropriate at a time when the city, region and New Zealand are re-evaluating their spending priorities.

"In spite of all the vague commitments to sustainability, $450 million is allocated for potential roading projects while only $167 million is allocated for public transport," Ms Pannett says.

"Instead of a bold programme to improve public transport, we have a commitment to increasing road capacity and, potentially, greenhouse gas emissions," she says.

Greater Wellington regional council transport policy and strategy divisional manager Jane Davis says the flyover is a vital part of speeding up public transport round the Basin.

"It's really important. In fact that is the reason that it's been given the priority ... in the first 10 years."

She says it is part of a really high-quality public transport spine through the city to the hospital and will provide a free flow of buses.

The same rationale would "absolutely not" apply to widening or duplicating either Mount Victoria or The Terrace tunnels, says Ms Davis.

"The Mount Victoria tunnel will still be a control on the amount of traffic and we're not predicting a huge increase in volume. But we're definitely predicting more reliable buses."

The proposed flyover will also complement Wellington City Council's planned work on Adelaide Road, she says.