Month: December 2013

Basin Reserve Trust Cricket Witnesses Seriously Concerned By NZTA’s Plans

Posted on by tjonescan

I spent a very interesting couple of hours at the weekend reading the evidence of the cricket witnesses called by the Basin Reserve Trust for the forthcoming Board of Inquiry on the proposed Basin Reserve flyover.* You can find these statements online at http://www.epa.govt.nz/search-databases/Pages/nsp-proposals-details.aspx?ProposalNumber=NSP000026#

I expected this evidence to be full of reassurances about how the NZTA had cricket’s best interests at heart, but that is strikingly not the case. Here are some of the statements made by these cricket experts in their evidence:

Sir John Anderson, former Chair of NZ Cricket: “I consider that a failure to adequately mitigate the effects of the Proposal on the Basin Reserve could potentially affect the test match status of the ground.”

Peter Clinton, CEO of Cricket Wellington: “The proposed Basin Bridge will have a significant impact on the Basin Reserve. The Basin Bridge will impact the Basin Reserve in the following ways:
(a) Visual distraction for sportspersons;
(b) Loss of spectator enjoyment;
(c) Potential loss of ICC accreditation as an international cricket ground; and
(d) Impact on the Basin Reserve’s unique character and ambience.”

Martin Snedden, former New Zealand cricketer, sports administrator: “The Application [by NZTA] and the Evidence in Chief used inappropriately narrow criteria to determine how the view of traffic on the Basin Bridge might adversely impact the Basin Reserve.”

With the future of the Basin at stake, such statements should concern all cricket players, administrators and fans.

It’s also clear that the proposed Northern Gateway Building is far from a panacea for these problems, and that there are issues with its design and use – something that also became very clear when, at a meeting between submitters and the NZTA, Greg Lee of the NZTA was asked to explain and justify the design and cost of the Northern Gateway Building, and was unable to do either convincingly.

* Some witness statements may not be provided until later this week.

Community turns out to show opposition to proposed Basin Reserve flyover

Posted on by tjonescan

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.

Ends
Contact: Tim Jones
027 359 0293
stoptheflyover@gmail.com

Take A Stand Against The Proposed Flyover: Wednesday 11 Dec, 9.30am, Basin Reserve

Posted on by tjonescan

Save the Basin Campaign invite you to show your support for keeping the Basin Reserve precinct a ‘flyover-free zone’. Like the majority* of Wellingtonians, we do not want a flyover at the Basin Reserve. We are calling the community to come out in force to show solidarity with the over 150 individuals, businesses, schools, churches and community groups that will be presenting their opposition to the proposed flyover to the Board of Inquiry.

What: Together we take a stand against the proposed flyover
When: 9.30am, Wednesday 11th December
Where: At the north-eastern corner of the Basin Reserve (near the Kent Tce traffic lights)

A flyover would dominate the view from St Mark's School - With thanks to Wellington Scoop
A flyover would dominate the view from St Mark’s School – With thanks to Wellington Scoop

Please bring placards, banners, t-shirts and whatever you have to show your solidarity with those people making submissions to the Board of Inquiry.

* 83% of submissions to the Environmental Protection Agency oppose NZTA’s application to construct a flyover at the Basin Reserve.

Join the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/183481505184236/

What Submitters Do And Don’t Have To Do This Week

Posted on by tjonescan

Some submitters have contacted the Campaign, concerned that they have to finish the oral submission they plan to make to the Board (also known as their representation) by this Friday, 13 December. This is not the case.Friday 13 December is the deadline for expert evidence, and so it is only relevant to those submitters who are putting forward expert witnesses.

The important date for all submitters who pan to appear before the Board is Monday 16 December. There are two things you must do no later than Monday 16 December:

1) Notify the Board if you plan to cross-examine any witnesses. You also need to send this notification to the party (e.g. NZTA) who is calling each witness. You must make these notifications by noon on Monday 16 December.

2) Notify the Board if you plan to make an oral submission (representation). You must do this even if you have previously told them (e.g. at the time of making your original submission) that you want to make a representation/oral submission.

As usual, you should contact the Board at BasinBridge@epa.govt.nz

These are the main points about Monday the 16th, but for the full details, see the latest version of the Indicative Timetable at

http://www.epa.govt.nz/Publications/BB66_Memorandum_No.27_Changes_to_timetable.pdf

Note that the hearing start date has now been postponed until Monday 3 February.

A local’s take on the proposed flyover by Johan, age 9

Posted on by galleryatstb

I think the Basin Reserve Flyover shouldn’t be built. There are lots of hazards about it like if we have a war it could get bombed and be not just a war a revolution too. Also there are affects and price problems too like on roads in NZ a hundred or more people get killed or are critically injured. And with the flyover an extra two thousand or more people getting killed or critically injured. It will also be really low (only as high as a power pole) and homeless people will live under it.

Graffiti and street art will be messed over it. Pets will die. They also call it “The Road of Significance”. I call it “The Road of Political P Brains”. Wellington will need bigger hospitals. To build it you need $100000000 and that’s impossible. Oil and cars will be more expensive. In a flood it could give way and have to be another $100000000 to take the rubbish away. What’s more is I don’t want to [see it] when I go out the door. I always see a great big ugly bridge to nowhere…until I die. Eventually Ellice St will be a ghost street because people won’t be able to sleep. There could be lots more car crashes too AND Wellington turning into a ghost town.Image

Basin Reserve Flyover Flaws Revealed for All to See

Posted on by tjonescan

We knew the NZTA’s plans to build a flyover at the Basin Reserve were fatally flawed. Now several days of highly critical media coverage, with pictures of what a flyover would look like if NZTA’s plans go ahead, mean that a lot more people can see these flaws. What’s more, it’s a peer review panel of experts that has been the source of much of the criticism.

So let’s take a moment to review the recent coverage on Wellington Scoop and the Dominion Post:

UPDATE: Check out these before-and-after images (without and then with a Basin flyover) from Transport Blog: http://transportblog.co.nz/2013/11/27/photo-of-the-day-basin-bridge

The Emperor’s new clothes are well and truly off, and the proposed flyover’s flaws are laid bare for all to see.