Category: Flyover

7 Reasons Not to Build a Flyover at the Basin Reserve

Posted on by tjonescan

1) A flyover at the Basin Reserve is unnecessary. The needed transport improvements at the Basin can be achieved by ‘at grade’ changes (i.e. not above or below ground). The major bottlenecks in the system are at other places, such as the Mt Victoria tunnel and at Taranaki St – not at the Basin.

2) A flyover at the Basin would be monumentally ugly. Don’t believe the NZTA concept pictures that make it look like an elven bridge out of Lord of the Rings. Real flyovers are ugly, massive structures. The ground underneath flyovers isn’t a parkland dotted with attractive people taking their ease, as NZTA likes to portray – it’s a wasteland – and, this being Wellington, it would be a very windy wasteland.

3) Not only would a flyover be ugly, but the planned location is a critical part of Wellington. Building a flyover would destroy a lot of heritage values and ruin a central Wellington cityscape.

4) A flyover at the Basin is already budgeted to cost $90 million, and would undoubtedly cost more. It’s a waste of money.

5) Visitors to Wellington have told us repeatedly that they can’t believe a modern country is even thinking about building a flyover near the centre of its capital city. In the rest of the world – the UK, San Francisco, Seoul – flyovers are being torn down. A US expert’s testimony to the Basin Board of Inquiry echoes this point: http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/9723004/Basin-Reserve-flyover-idea-a-50s-relic-expert.

6) A flyover would be bad for cricket at the Basin. Even if the proposed “Northern Gateway Building” (*not* a grandstand – there would be no spectator seating there) were to be built, a flyover would still be visible, and audible, from parts of the Basin. No other international cricket ground has an elevated roadway running right next to it. Umpires, players and spectators would all hear and see a flyover.

7) The Basin Reserve has Test status from the ICC because of its historic use as a Test ground. If a flyover is built at the Basin, plus associated works, it is likely to trigger an assessment of the ground’s suitability as a Test venue by the International Cricket Council – which means, in effect, by India, Australia and England, who have seized power at the ICC. These three countries are trying to carve up the intrnational cricket cake between them. Why risk the future of the Basin, and give the ICC the chance to rule out Test cricket being played there, for the sake of an outdated, ugly flyover that doesn’t need to be built?

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

Wellingtonians love the Basin

Posted on by galleryatstb

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Valentine’s Day gave Wellingtonians an opportunity to share why they love the Basin Reserve precinct as it is, without a flyover. Attendees at the “Love the Basin” event wrote ‘love notes’ to the Basin Reserve and numerous passers-by waved and tooted to show their support for the cause to stop the proposed construction of a flyover at this iconic site.

Save the Basin Campaign spokesperson Tim Jones says: “Friday’s event at the Basin Reserve was a great illustration of the depth and breadth of opposition to the flyover. Wellingtonians do not want a flyover at the Basin Reserve and will not be steamrolled by the NZTA.”

Save the Basin Campaign were heartened by the number of supportive people driving past Friday’s event with bus drivers, taxi drivers, private vehicle owners and even a couple of people driving Wellington City Council vans tooting to show their support for the cause.

A selection of love notes written at the event are below, with the full listing posted on the Community Gallery page of Save the Basin’s website.

I love the Basin because…

“I had school sports here as a girl and played cricket and enjoyed attending marching girls and soccer.”

“It’s one of the most beautiful cricket grounds in the world and it deserves to stay that way.”

“It’s part of our heritage.”

“It’s a unique cricket ground. I hate the flyover because it’s a short-sighted solution and Wellington does not need it!”

“It’s a MASSIVE KIWI ICON.”

“It’s my one week away from Chch to enjoy cricket, sun, relaxing and views.”

“It’s been a home for cricket since I was a baby…”

“On my trips to Wellington I always take the time to get down to the Basin to have a wander around or take photos of the ground from outside the gates. The Basin holds a special place to me since I love cricket.”

Transport Experts, Labour Party Agree: Basin Reserve Flyover A Crock

Posted on by tjonescan

Campaigners criticising a proposed project is one thing. Politicians criticising a proposed project is another thing. But when independent transport experts find gaping flaws in the claimed benefits underlying a proposal, then that proposed project has a problem.

And that’s exactly the situation with the proposed Basin Reserve flyover. A series of traffic and transportation peer review reports from consultants appointed by the Board of Inquiry has shown damning holes, inconsistencies and grossly inflated claims in NZTA’s proposals – faults that NZTA and its experts have chosen to gloss over.

You can find those reports here: http://www.epa.govt.nz/Resource-management/Basin_Bridge/ReportsAdvice/Pages/default.aspx under the heading “Traffic and Transportation peer review report” towards the bottom of the page.

Wellington Central MP Grant Robertson has highlighted one of thesee key issues in a recent press release, reported on Wellington Scoop:

Basin flyover “a colossal waste of money,” says Grant Robertson

To quote from the statement:

The travel time saved by the proposed Basin Reserve flyover amounts to only 90 seconds, not the claimed seven-and-a-half minutes, a new statement by experts and witnesses shows, Labour’s MP for Wellington Central Grant Robertson says.

“This flyover is costing $90 million but in the end will only save commuters 90 seconds. That is a colossal waste of money when they are other alternatives available to improve traffic flow.

“The claim has been made that the flyover will give seven-and-a-half minutes of travel time savings, but in material released late last week. The experts now agree six of those minutes actually come from a third lane in the Memorial Park tunnel and changes to the Taranaki Street intersection. These are completely separate developments from the flyover.

“It is significant that witnesses and experts agree on this. It puts into question the cost benefit claims about the project and should weigh heavily on the Board of Inquiry.

And of course, Grant Robertson is far from the only politician to criticise the proposed flyover. In addition to Labour, the Greens, United Future, New Zealand First and Mana have all expressed opposition to the proposed flyover. All these parties recognise a crock when they see one. It’s a pity NZTA and the Government are too blinded by their own arrogance to see the fatal flaws in its proposal.

PS: Here’s the same story covered by the Dominion Post: http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news/9706340/Flyover-to-shave-90-seconds-off-trip

Show Your Love For The Basin This Valentine’s Day

Posted on by tjonescan

The Save the Basin Campaign is calling on Wellingtonians to show their love for the Basin Reserve this Valentine’s Day, Friday 14th February, which is also with the first day of the second test match between New Zealand and India.

Attendees at the “Love the Basin” event, to be held at the northern entrance to the Basin, will be invited to write a note stating why they love this iconic part of our city. Save the Basin Campaign spokesperson Tim Jones says: “This is an opportunity for the community to share the many reasons we love the Basin Reserve and why we continue to oppose construction of the proposed flyover on the ground’s northern boundary.”

Tim Jones says that supporters of Save the Basin Campaign have rallied behind the cause for many reasons. These range from the heritage values of the precinct and the fact that it is a world class test-playing venue, through to the unnecessary and ugly nature of the proposed flyover. “There are also many Wellingtonians who enjoy and use the Basin as an open green space with views to the surrounding Town Belt.”

The Save the Basin Campaign is one of a number of community groups and numerous individual citizens who are currently involved in the Board of Inquiry process to review the NZTA’s application for resource consent to build a flyover at the northern end of the Basin Reserve. A final decision is due out later in the year.

The “Love the Basin” event will start at 10am and is being held at the northern end of the Basin Reserve, near the C.S. Dempster Gate. A speech and opportunity for photographs will be held at approximately 10.20am. The event will go ahead regardless of the weather and those that are unable to attend are asked to send a message stating why they love the Basin Reserve to stoptheflyover@gmail.com.

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/201680093364430/

NZTA’s Basin Flyover Plans In Serious Trouble: Media Agrees

Posted on by tjonescan

Opponents of NZTA’s proposed Basin Reserve flyover have said all along that NZTA behaved in an arrogant and high-handed manner during the supposed “consultation” process on its Basin Reserve flyover plan. Now that arrogance and high-handedness has come back to bite NZTA – and it’s not just us saying it.

The updated Basin Bridge Project Traffic and Transportation Peer Review (PDF, 4.1 MB), commissioned by the Board and prepared by Abley Transportation Consultants, raises such severe criticisms of the project that NZTA’s only honourable course of action would be to withdraw their current proposal and think again. (Of course, NZTA has dismissed the Transport Peer Review’s criticisms and announced its intention to press on regardless.)

There has been a striking shift in the tone of the Dominion Post’s coverage of the proposed flyover this month, and Michael Forbes of the DomPost has prepared this excellent summary of the key criticisms contained in the Abley Report:

Serious red flags raised over flyover: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/9639260/Serious-red-flags-raised-over-flyover

Wellington Scoop, which has a distinguished track record of investigative journalism on the issue, expanded on the Dominion Post article, noting previous criticisms by Save the Basin:

More (and more) confirmation that there are better alternatives than the flyover: http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=63947

This article highlights the transport evidence to be presented  at the forthcoming Board of Inquiry hearing by one of Save the Basin’s expert transport witnesses, David Young:

David Young, who for eight years was Transit NZ’s national planning manager, confirms that there is a low-cost at-grade option for solving Basin traffic problems without a flyover. He asks why the Agency failed to allow Wellingtonians the choice of this non-flyover option. Had it been been identified and included in the consultation process, he says, it is likely that it would have been preferred by affected parties “and would, or at least should, have been selected by the Transport Agency.”

This expert witness also says the “grossly uneconomic” flyover will cause significant adverse environmental effects and he asks why the Agency is understating environmental issues related to the flyover.

Wellington Scoop’s report of the original version of the Transport Peer Review is here: 49 key concerns about the flyover: http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=63947

Radio New Zealand also covered the issue on Checkpoint: Basin Reserve flyover plan criticised: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/234062/basin-reserve-flyover-plan-criticised

As a campaigner, it can be easy to feel like a lone voice in the wilderness. Not any more!

What’s The Basin Reserve Flyover Issue All About?

Posted on by tjonescan

In case you’re new to the issue, here’s a quick introduction to what’s being proposed for the Basin Reserve, why the Save the Basin Campaign is opposed to it, and what you can do to help.

What’s the Basin Reserve?

The Basin Reserve is a recreation ground near the centre of Wellington. It is best known for being Wellington’s Test cricket ground, and has often been praised for its setting and its beauty.

What’s proposed for the Basin Reserve?

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), as part of the current New Zealand Government’s focus on building more motorways rather than funding public transport, walking and cycling, is planning to build a 10-metre-high one-way motorway flyover on the north-western boundary of the Basin Reserve at an estimated cost of at least $100 million. If built, it will be clearly visible from many parts of the ground.

Hang on a minute, did you say “one-way”?

It’s bizarre, but true. All this effort, expense and disruption is for the sake of a one-way road, running east to west. In fact, one of the many concerns about this proposed flyover is that it, if built, it may need to be followed by a second unsightly flyover running in the opposite direction.

What effect would a flyover have on cricket at the Basin?

Nobody is quite sure, but a number of senior international cricketers and cricket officials have expressed serious concerns at the potential effects on players, and also on the Basin’s future as an international cricket ground. We’re told that ‘mitigation measures’, mainly in the form of a new structure designed to block the view of the flyover from the pitch, have been agreed, though details have yet to be released of this agreement, but these measures don’t appear to shield the flyover from many fielders or spectators.

Why does NZTA want to build a flyover?

The NZTA is trying to convert the present route through Wellington to Wellington Airport into a motorway designed to carry increasing numbers of cars, even though traffic volumes are dropping. It wants to build a flyover as part of this route, and has been determined to do so for many years, despite a great deal of evidence (that will be presented at the forthcoming Basin flyover hearings) showing that a flyover is not necessary. NZTA has deliberately skewed figures to make other transport solutions appear not to be viable.

Was there any consultation before NZTA went ahead with its plans?

If you can call it consultation: NZTA gave Wellingtonians the option of agreeing to a flyover, or a slightly different flyover. NZTA ignored the many submissions calling for there not to be a flyover and then announced one of the flyovers as the preferred option. This is, sadly, typical of NZTA’s approach to engaging with the public.

What happens next?

The Government has set up a Board of Inquiry to hear the resource consent application to build what NZTA persists in calling a Basin “Bridge” – presumably because it realises the public doesn’t like flyovers. The Board of Inquiry hearing is scheduled to begin on Monday 3 February and is expected to report by the end of May. Save the Basin Campaign and an number of other organisations are presenting detailed cases covering why a flyover is unnecessary and shouldn’t be approved.

We hope that this Board of Inquiry will fully and carefully consider the question of whether the flyover should go ahead. However, the Government set up the Board of Inquiry process to fast-track projects it wants to see go ahead, and so far, that’s what Boards of Inquiry have done.

If the Board rules that the project should not go ahead, it will have made the right decision. And if it rules otherwise, we still have other legal avenues open to us.

You keep saying the Government is behind this project. Do all political parties support it?

Absolutely not! In fact, five parties have stated their opposition to a Basin Reserve flyover: Labour, the Greens, New Zealand First, the Mana Movement and United Future. It’s entirely possible that the Government that emerges following the 2014 General Election may be opposed to a Basin Reserve flyover going ahead.

How can I help?

We’ve listed a number of ways, but the two most important things you can do are:

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/

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.