The Wellington community came out today to show their ongoing opposition to the proposed construction of a flyover at the Basin Reserve.Approximately 30 people gathered this morning at the northern end of the Basin Reserve near where the proposed flyover will be constructed if it gains approval from the Board of Inquiry.
Tim Jones, Co-convenor of Save the Basin Campaign said: “The community came out today to show their support for–and solidarity with–the many people preparing their representations to the Board of Inquiry. The streamlined legal process is not for everyone, so today’s event was an opportunity to illustrate the wider community’s opposition to the proposed flyover.”
The West Indies test match which began at the Basin Reserve today was also an opportunity to share with an international audience the NZTA’s plans to construct a flyover at what former Wellington City Councillor and New Zealand Cricket player John Morrison has called a top ten test match playing venue in the world.
Tim Jones says “This is a site of not only national, but also international significance and we cannot allow the NZTA to bulldoze through it with a flyover that will simply not bring the purported traffic benefits. It is terrible transport planning, poor urban design and simply not acceptable at a site of national and international significance.”
Along with many other submitters in opposition to the proposal, the Save the Basin Campaign is in the midst of preparing a case to the Board of Inquiry. The hearing will begin in February with a decision due by the middle of 2014.