18 May – Many comments in the media and it is clear many, many people are angry about NZTA’s push for the flyover.

The recent silence on this page is due to attention to the many activities organised by the Save the Basin campaign – but also the attention to the cricket on the other side of the world. Fingers crossed for the Black Caps in the struggle against England at Lords this week.

And a reminder that the effort to stop this planned destruction to the environment of one of the great cricket grounds needs financial support – for postcards to let people know what the plans are about, stickers for supporters to demonstrate their opposition, and for the upcoming opposition to the resource application to be lodged soon by NZTA. Please donate to Givealittle – you can use a credit card from anywhere in the world and no fees are taken by the site, and all funds are used for the campaign. And if you are in New Zealand you can also donate directly to our bank account – noted on the Donations page.

 

1 May – Thanks to everyone who came to the community rally at the Film Archives – and to the many, many who have signed on to help stop the flyover.

And now that interest is growing for the local body elections, the question can be raised to each candidate – Do you support building the flyover?

7 April – There has been so much media coverage of the struggle to stop the flyover, it has been difficult to keep up. We will be working to catch up but many of the articles are now archived on Scoop Wellington.

Economist Rod Oram on good urban design – and why the proposed flyover is not.

27 March – Just a moment to reflect on the wild tension of the test match yesterday. No wonder people are mad for cricket.

Now back to the other news -

23 March – One WCC councillor reported receiving over 360 emails from people rejecting the flyover, but fewer than 10 in support. Over 70% raised concerns about the flyover’s damage to the Basin Reserve area in NZTA’s own poll in 2011. Yet 7 other councillors, and Cr Andy Foster refused to vote to oppose the flyover

22 March – A very confusing vote by WCC yesterday, and apparently Cr Andy Foster chose to ease NZTA’s possible “disappointment” rather than follow his own stated opposition to the flyover. Anti-flyover champions Mayor Celia-Wase Brown, Cr Justin Lester, Cr Iona Pannett, Cr Stephanie Cook, Cr Bryan Pepperel, and Cr Helen Ritchie tried to achieve an Oppose vote but Cr Foster didn’t support them. 

“If the answer is a flyover, then we’ve asked the wrong question,” said Mayor Celia Wade-Brown during today’s four-hour council debate on roading changes at the Basin Reserve.” more at Wellington Scoop.

The campaign continues!

March 20 – Both the Architecture Centre and Richard Reid have rebutted the report for council which favoured a flyover over their options. From observing the workshop yesterday, it is as if the staff were NZTA clones, with every question going in support for a flyover despite the obvious design flaws and horrendous effect on the environment of Kent Terrace, the War memorial Park, and the Basin reserve Cricket Ground.

15 March – Very big day at the England vs New Zealand cricket today. After talking with hundreds between us only 27 support a flyover! Outrage and anger about the prospect of a massive intrusion onto one of the great cricket grounds in the world. 

A very big welcome to the Barmy Army – supporters of the English cricket team. They are also welcome supporters of our efforts to preserve the environment of the Basin Reserve Cricket Ground, the oldest in New Zealand and one of the oldest in the world. No flyover!

Wellington City Council has released the officer’s report on two alternatives to the flyover being proposed.

Scoop has provided a good analysis of the steps so far undertaken by WCC, and includes comments from Mayor Celia Wade-Brown about the mitigation that would be required if NZTA continues to push for its flyover.

Councillors have yet to decide whether they will officially oppose the flyover proposal – please contact them as soon as possible to let them know that a flyover just won’t fly at the Basin Reserve. Contact details below.

Wellington City Council is considering alternatives to the flyover, and the issues are outlined in today’s Dominion Post by Cr Andy Foster, who holds the Transportation portfolio.  As he says, this decision will be around for a hundred years. Taking some time for consideration – and to reflect on the great mistake it would be – is the choice of a thoughtful council, and mayor.

Please write to Wellington City Councillors – listed below – and urge them to reject the attempt by another Council to interfere in a decision affecting the residents of Wellington, and rejected by the majority of people living in the region.

Press Release

SAVE The BASIN CAMPAIGN      Stop the Flyover

The Save the Basin campaign understands that decisions made about transport in Wellington City affect residents throughout the region. But before Porirua Mayor Nick Leggett made his bold claim to have “slapped down” the Wellington City Council’s decision to withdraw support from the proposed flyover and investigate alternatives, perhaps he should have done a bit of basic research on such matters as which way traffic on the flyover is meant to flow and where the proposed flyover will be positioned.

The action by some members of the Wellington Regional Transport Committee appears to be an attempt to isolate Mayor Wade-Brown and the WCC, who are representing the majority of residents who have repeatedly rejected the proposed flyover.

The Wellington Regional Transport Committee process lacks integrity. By introducing an unannounced motion and attempting to interfere in the decisions of another council – just two weeks before that council will release its findings on alternatives to the flyover – flyover supporters on the Committee have shown their increasing desperation.

Of course, regional mayors like Nick Leggett and Upper Hutt’s Wayne Guppy are entitled to their own opinions. But, next time, they should think before they speak.

Our Dominion Post OpEd article. NZTA’s comment was to attack our drawing of the view of the flyover from the cricket ground – ours was based on their own information released last year and their photo is shot from a different angle, and further away to minimise the outrageous effect on the environment at the Basin. 

We challenge NZTA to abandon the flyover and focus on solving the problem with a different, more effective alternative.

AND while the Wellington City Council conducts its review of alternatives to the flyover, you can send them your opinion – Maybe the thought that the review should simply start without the flyover even being on the table.

Votes for taking the time to review the options -

Mayor Wade-Brown   celia.wade-brown@wcc.govt.nz

Andy Foster    Andy.Foster@wcc.govt.nz

Bryan Pepperell    Bryan.Pepperell@wcc.govt.nz

Helene Ritchie   helene.ritchie@wcc.govt.nz

Iona Pannett   iona.pannett@wcc.govt.nz

Paul Eagle    Paul.Eagle@wcc.govt.nz

Stephanie Cook    stephanie.cook@wcc.govt.nz

Justin Lester       justin.lester@wcc.govt.nz

Simon Marsh    simon.marsh@wcc.govt.nz

Councillors who voted FOR a flyover

Nagaire Best      ngaire.best@wcc.govt.nz

Leonie Gill       leonie.gill@wcc.govt.nz

John Morrison      john.morrison@wcc.govt.nz

Ian McKinnon      ian.mckinnon@wcc.govt.nz

Ray Ahipene-Mercer       ray.ahipene-mercer@wcc.govt.nz

Jo Coughlan        jo.coughlan@wcc.govt.nz

The 17 January Dominion Post editorial surprises no one with a condemnation of Wellington City Councillors who voted for a review of options to the flyover. Along the way, the editors distort the recent past by saying WCC “reneged” on its support for a flyover – when actually NZTA had offered WCC only choices between where a flyover would be located, and WCC had in fact voted in favour of a tunnel. But that won’t stop the Dominion Post from channelling the NZTA and its illogical persistence for a flyover.

Today’s Dominion Post print edition says it all: “Little time to assess flyover alternatives” – indicating that there won’t be sufficient time for a thorough evaluation of alternatives, and leaving us with NZTA’s preferred outcome, as Cr McKinnon, a flyover supporter, says “he expected NZTA to continue down that path after the council’s work was complete”. 

.   .   .

NZTA and its curious use of language. In Auckland, NZTA happily uses “flyover” while in Wellington the  Basin Reserve proposed structure is called a “bridge“, and the War Memorial will have a “trench” while Aucklanders drive through a “cut and cover tunnel”. Is this the agency’s attempt to “mitigate” the damage?

.    .    .

If the NZTA’s own evaluation rates its positive/negative scores with only 2 positives, how can they convince the rest of us that the flyover will do what they promise?

Scoop Wellington has found a report – dated last August – giving a failure rate of 7 out of 9. Now, maybe time to write to john.key@parliament.govt.nz?

.    .    .

The Dominion Post finally looks at the conflict of interest for Chris Moller, with a mention of the Save the Basin Campaign.

.    .    .

Scoop Wellington: further information on the conflict of interest for NZTA Board Chair Chris Moller in his role as Board Chair of NZ Cricket requiring him to remove himself from the NZTA board discussions regarding the flyover. Previously, it appears from board meeting minutes, it was sufficient that he simply not chair the meeting during the discussions.

How can the head of the transport agency pushing for a concrete motorway right next to the Basin Reserve also fairly advocate for the best interests of cricket in Wellington?

The New Zealand government could over-rule NZTA and reverse this urban blight and danger to the Basin Reserve. 

Please write to the NZ Prime Minister – John Key – with the request to stop the flyover, and support alternatives -

john.key@parliament.govt. nz

.    .    .

Wellington City Council voted  to review alternatives to the flyover! NZTA is threatening to pull funding for the entire regional transport plan. They just won’t admit that their flyover is wrong and there are better alternatives. How the councillors voted is noted below.

If you have a chance to write to the DomPost, please let them know how you feel about a government agency threatening elected officials.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington-central/8102681/We-may-walk-away-from-transport-plans

City Councillor Iona Pannett onRadio New Zealand discussing the NZTA attempt to intimidate the Council.

Stop the Flyover Press Release released before the Wellington City Council vote to look at alternatives to the flyover. 

NZTA has released its video which shows just how close the flyover motorway would be next to the Basin Reserve Vance Stadium, and the roller coaster rider -Up from Mt Vic tunnel, Down under the War memorial Park, then UP the incline to meet up with Taranaki Street. Hold on to your hats!

This is the flyover view from the cricket ground – based on documents released by Official Information Act request.