Transit New Zealand - Wellington Regional Office

16 March 2007

Transit and WCC to provide updates and phone service on Bypass

Transit New Zealand and Wellington City Council will be providing daily updates on how traffic is moving on the Inner City Bypass and associated streets. .

With only nine days to go until the opening of the new southbound route of the Bypass on March 25, Transit regional manager Graham Taylor says the daily reporting on www.wicb.co.nz from 19 March is aimed at allowing the public to see where issues have occurred on the road, what has potentially caused them and when they were cleared. The two organisations will also be working with Stagecoach to gather reports from bus drivers on the route’s efficiency.

“We want to give the public confidence that Transit, Wellington City Council and Stagecoach are working collectively monitoring the roads, and identifying and addressing issues as they occur.”

As well as the daily reporting on the website, the public can also call the Council on 499 4444 between the hours of 7am-7pm to get updates on the traffic situation.

Wellington City Council Director of Infrastructure Stavros Michael says the Council has already received several calls about the Bypass and route efficiency and expects the service will become a useful tool for the public when the southbound route opens.

While the opening of the southbound route of the Bypass marks the end of construction, the project will not be complete until the end of May as smaller, tidying-up work needs to be conducted.

“This remaining work can only be done when the bulk of the state highway traffic has been moved off the current state highway route through the city. Transit, in conjunction with the Council and Stagecoach, will be doing its utmost to avoid disruption to affected streets, which is why website updates and the phone service will remain after the southbound route has been opened,” Mr Taylor says.

Mr Taylor and Mr Michael say only when all Bypass associated work is concluded, and any adjustments have been made to optimise traffic flows with the new configuration, will the updates and phone service cease to operate.

Mr Taylor stresses that the Bypass, upon conclusion, is aimed at providing overall transport solutions, not just a road.

“It’s about improved bus services, better cycleways, better options on Vivian Street for pedestrians including the physically disabled, improved air quality on Ghuznee Street by reducing vehicle emissions and separating state highway traffic from inner city motorists. The Bypass can never been considered just a road for these reasons and more.”

ENDS

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