Green MPs, councillors launch campaign against second Mt Victoria tunnel in Wellington

Critics of a second Mt Victoria tunnel in the capital have launched a campaign against the plans, saying the project is too expensive, too disruptive and too focused on cars.

Green MPs Julie Anne Genter and Tamatha Paul hosted a public rally in Mount Victoria on Tuesday night, where former and current councillors also spoke out against the project.

Expected to cost between $2.9-3.8 billion, the proposals included building a second tunnel at Mount Victoria and The Terrace, and would see traffic moving in both directions around the Basin Reserve.

Changes would be made in Te Aro, with three lanes on Vivian Street and Karo Drive, as well as a widening of Ruahine Street and Wellington Road in Kilbirnie on route to the airport.

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said the changes could save commuters up to 10 minutes from Ngauranga Gorge to Wellington Airport.

Genter said the consultation period had been insufficient for such a major proposal.

"The reason we decided to hold this meeting, is because the New Zealand Transport Agency announced limited details on a proposed roading project. The consultation - it's not really a consultation - the feedback period, it's only four weeks."

She said the project was hugely expensive for lanes in each direction, and questioned what the average savings on travel time would be - saying that was not clear from the information provided by NZTA so far.

"You can't build your way out of congestion, even the current transport minister has said that.

Chair of Wellington regional council's public transport committee, Ros Connelly, said a bus rapid transit scheme through Wellington to the airport would save 11 minutes, and cost less money.

"Why on earth are you going to do this over other public transport projects that would deliver better time savings and cost a whole lot less money. Is it because this government loves roads at the expense of doing what is best for Wellington residents?"

A loud burst of applause came for city councillor Jonny Osborne, who said the proposals were "irresponsible" for dedicating billions to car travel.

"This project completely and utterly ignores the reality of climate change."

Former city councillor Chris Calvi-Freeman was one of the few speakers to identify some advantages to widening routes near the airport.

"The regional benefits in terms of people being able to access the regional hospital and the airport, but there are also, at the other end of the scale, benefits for the people in the eastern suburbs, who want to escape the city - for whatever reason - or come into the city."

Calvi-Freeman said it's a matter of when, not if, a second Mount Vic tunnel goes ahead.

But Save the Basin co-convenor Iona Pannett said she's "100 percent certain" the campaign would stop the project.

"I'm confident Wellingtonians are going to mobilise to stop this highway, and we're going to mobilise around public transport, and walking and cycling."

Pannett said the plan would cause disruption to residents and schools in the suburbs affected.

NZTA said it'd identified 176 properties it might need to buy, and another 146 properties where it might need to buy below-ground land, for the construction of the two tunnels.

It also said some town belt land might be affected by the proposal.

Friends of the Town Belt chairperson John Bishop said that concerned him.

"It's a major facility of the city, it has been for 150-odd years ... The citizens of Wellington have fought very hard to retain all the elements of the Town Belt and get it back to as pristine a condition as possible."

Both NZTA and the Transport Minister Chris Bishop rejected criticism the consultation period was too short.

Bishop said in advance he would not attend the Greens' political rally, saying he hoped people were using NZTA's public consultation sessions to find out information and give feedback.

"There is a four-week consultation (closing Sunday, December 14) so the public can give feedback on the proposed design. There have also been many other consultations and feedback processes on this project over the past few years, and those have been incorporated."

Bishop said he backed the project, and included that it would reduce congestion, travel times, create better walking and cycling links and speed up movement through Wellington city.

"This project has been talked about for decades, and I am pleased to see it finally coming to fruition under this government.

"It will cut peak travel times by up to 10 minutes, improve travel time reliability by 40 percent, deliver better walking and cycling links - including a new separated shared path through the Mt Victoria tunnel, and mean 20 percent less traffic on the Harbour Quays, enabling increased use of buses."

Bishop has previously said there's a good case for the investment in the project, which he said would bring strong benefits.

A spokesperson for NZTA said the agency was running a "thorough and wide-ranging" public engagement process, including several public information days around Wellington, as well as an online survey running from mid-November to 14 December.

About 500 people had attended one of the four information sessions held so far, the spokesperson said.

Two information sessions remained, one on Wednesday at All Saints Church Hall in Haitaitai, and one this Saturday at Mt Cook School Gym.

"Extensive engagement is also continuing with councils, iwi, landowners, and other key stakeholders.

"All of the feedback we receive will be taken into consideration and help to inform the next design phase of the project."

The spokesperson said the transport proposals were "significant", and could have "a major impact on Wellington's transport infrastructure".

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