After the defeat of the Basin Reserve flyover and the partial failure of Let’s Get Welly Moving, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and Government are once back again with a new roading proposal – a highway through the city. We are encouraging all those to opposed to this idea to submit by Sunday 14th December 2025.
The flyover was a terrible idea. This latest proposal to build a highway with two tunnels at Mt Victoria and The Terrace is much worse. At a cost of $2.9b-$3.8b it is uneconomic to build and will cost the country and Wellingtonians billions in debt, potentially a levy on every Wellington household and possibly a petrol tax.
There are many negatives to this project including induced traffic, a hostile environment for pedestrians and cyclists, less public transport options, the Basin Reserve compromised, real risks of increased injuries, damaged communities from Thorndon to Kilbirnie, increased transport emissions and more noise and air pollution.
NZTA are doing an engagement survey and running 6 very small information sessions around the city. Save the Basin has provided a guide for responding to this survey. We recommend that you tick the box Much Worse or Worse in relation to the impacts of their proposal.
Below find some more information so that you can provide a comment or two or e-mail a fuller submission to them (contact details below).
Summary
The New Zealand Transport Agency is planning to build a massive highway through our city with two large tunnels at The Terrace and Mt Victoria. It will impact many suburbs from Thorndon to Kilbirnie. The project is projected to cost between $2.9b-$3.8b. Benefits promoted by the Government are primarily related to time savings which NZTA claim to be up to 10 minutes at peak times. Not only will taxpayers and road users have to pay this huge cost but it is likely the roads will be tolled and a levy and/or fuel tax will be placed on all Wellingtonians to get the project over the line. From previous experience, we expect that the price will increase by many millions or even billions of dollars once design is completed, and that the claimed benefits will not materialise in practice.
NZTA is not consulting on this proposal but has sent out a brief engagement survey. Feedback is due Sunday 14th December at https://nzta.mysocialpinpoint.com/SH1-Wellington-Improvements-project-engagement-survey. If you prefer, you can provide more feedback in detail by sending an e-mail to SH1WgtnImprovements@nzta.govt.nz.
It is really important that people give NZTA feedback. This is likely to be the only chance that you will have to provide this feedback under the Fast Track legislation. Proper consultation will not be undertaken. The Minister will have a big say on whether the project goes ahead or not. Legislation currently before the House is designed to further deny the already limited rights to comment on and appeal against Fast Track panel decisions.
Survey guide feedback
We recommend that you respond to the questions with the option of Much Worse or Worse.
The survey asks a few questions about how often you use SH1 and what mode you use, then it asks people to rate if the planned interventions (2 extra tunnels, Basin Reserve upgrades, the widening of Ruahine Street and Wellington Road and so on) will make things worse or better. We recommend that you say that the proposed interventions will make things Much Worse or Worse.
In the comments box or if you want to provide some separate feedback, we suggest that you look at the following points. Please note that the public is not yet able to access much information about the projects as NZTA has either not released it or hasn’t done the work itself yet.
Comments section or to provide full feedback
The project doesn’t make economic sense: the claimed benefits of the project are marginal with a Benefit to Cost Ratio (BCR) of 0.7 to 1.2 if untolled, or 0.6 to 1.0 if tolled (anything under 1 costs more than its claimed benefits). Based on previous experience, the costs of this project are likely to increase once the design is finalised making it even more uneconomic.
Town Belt: NZTA plans to take 3ha to build their highway. This green space is important to all Wellingtonians and needs to be retained as a recreational space.
Highways are bad for pedestrians and cyclists: people on foot and on bike will not get benefits from the project as there will be longer wait times at traffic lights and people will have to negotiate crossing a highway with motorists going at faster speeds. Air pollution will increase as more people are encouraged to drive and our city will become more hostile to travel through and live.
A 3.6m shared path is proposed to get through the Mt Victoria tunnel. This is simply not wide enough and may result in crashes between cyclists and pedestrians. Other proposed paths are also intended to be shared paths, again putting pedestrians and cyclists at risk.
It’s also bad for public transport users: billions are being proposed to be spent on these roads rather than on improving public transport for all.
Highways hurt kids: the project will be right beside or very close to at least 8 primary and secondary schools where our children and teens are trying to learn as well as by their homes. This will make it less safe for them to use the roads and to walk or cycle to school.
Planning and construction effects: will mean huge disruption for the city for businesses and residents as NZTA takes 3 more years to plan this project plus another 8 years to actually build it.
Loss of housing: over 160 buildings will be demolished, including homes. We need to build homes, not bowl them. Another 150 will be impacted as NZTA burrows underground.
Suburb impacts: based on NZTA material, we believe there will be more traffic around the Bays and Newtown as people try to avoid the tolled road and challenges accessing local roads.
Climate impacts: transport is the biggest source of climate emissions in the city. Providing more room for cars is highly likely to increase transport emissions. Electric cars make up a tiny proportion of our fleet – the real emissions reductions benefits come from people using better public transport, walking and cycling.
Flooding risk: more asphalt means more run-off after heavy rain and flooding as the climate warms. We know there are already significant flooding issues along the route.
Alternatives: there are cheaper and more effective ways of moving people around the city. The government has already enabled congestion charging for cities. This is a much more effective and sustainable way forward and will cost in the low millions rather than the billions that this highway will cost. In addition, building a complete network for bus and cycle lanes will enable many Wellingtonians to travel around the city easily. Mass Rapid Transit should also be implemented, as previously planned.
What Save the Basin would like to see instead: The Basin Reserve protected; more affordable and social housing; a protected Town Belt and more parks; facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and bus users and our tax dollars spent wisely.
What you can do to stop this project
Provide feedback to NZTA by Sunday 14th December at 11:59pm
Volunteer to help out with the campaign, everyone can make a contribution!
For more information contact James Fraser, co-convenor at guardiansofthebelt@gmail.com.