27 April 2004

Wellington Regional Transport Action Group
Press Release

Transit New Zealand’s decision to recommend funding of the inner city bypass is a positive first step in solving the city’s traffic problems and helping make the city more user-friendly for pedestrians, says TAG spokesperson Fran Wilde.

It will be welcomed by both motorists and inner city residents, and enable the Wellington City Council to complete implementation of other traffic management and public transport initiatives– all of which were designed assuming the bypass would be in place.

This small stretch of road must be one of the most over-analysed and over-debated projects in New Zealand. Finally common sense has prevailed and the reward will be evident in a number of areas, including increased public transport efficiency, better pedestrian linkages to key areas of the city, greater safety and pollution reduction.

Hopefully Transfund will also endorse this project and there will be no further delays in implementing what the majority of Wellingtonians have agreed should proceed.

The bypass is a significant piece – but just one piece – of a wider land transport strategy for the Wellington region. We urge local, regional and central government to regard the bypass decision as the first step in removing the logjam that has blocked regional growth and caused community stress as well as safety and environmental hazards for so long in our region.

ENDS

© Scoop Media