12. NATHAN GUY (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Transport
When does she envisage the first bulldozer will appear working on the designated route for Transmission Gully?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Acting Minister of Transport) Link to this
The Minister already has envisaged that. That is why Transmission Gully is, for the first time, on a 5-year programme.
With the huge delays currently being experienced by motorists, which will only get worse, does she think it is acceptable that Transit will take another 5 years before it will state that Transmission Gully is viable, or will she tell Transit that 5 years is too long to wait for another report and instruct it to proceed with urgency?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
Ministers do not instruct Transit; we have had an interchange on that matter previously this afternoon. There is a great deal of geotechnical work to be done. There is also the small matter of Wellington local authorities coming up with their share of the funding, according to all the agreements we previously had in respect of that.
With all the reports, investigations, and studies commissioned over the last 10 years on the viability of Transmission Gully, does she think that the $80 million spend and a 5-year delay by Transit will add any significant value, or will it be just another $80 million spent on work that has already been done?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
I think that question summed up the National Party: one builds a road without doing the geotechnical work first.
Darren HughesWhat funding has the Government already committed to the Wellington region, and is the Minister aware of any other alternative funding proposals that include Transmission Gully?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
In March 2004 the Government announced an additional $225 million as part of the Investing for Growth package. In June a further contribution of $255 million was made as part of the Wellington western corridor package, then the Government contributed up to $405 million conditional on regional agreement. I note that this particular project, despite the questioner asking these questions today, did not appear in the National Party manifesto or in its proposed fiscal plan.
Dos the Minister agree that a further 5-year delay will increase the cost of the project, even just accounting for inflation, to the stage that it could become unaffordable?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
I reply again to the member: we will not repeat the mistakes the previous Government made when it decided to build a road for the Waikato, without discovering first what the area was like. We are now trying to stop that road from slumping all over the place as we are building it. We need a geotechnical survey before we build a road through an area that has not been surveyed for that purpose. He, of course, would not do that. He would just keep spending and spending, and if anything went wrong, he would probably blame Māori for that.
Hon Judith Tizard Link to this
Can the Minister give us any reports on the proposal from Roger Sowry, the previous transport spokesperson for the National Party, that the National Party’s highest priority was a six-lane highway between Auckland and Wellington; could he tell us what effect that may have on Transmission Gully and other proposals?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
I think the member exaggerates slightly. I seem to recollect Mr Sowry proposed a four-lane highway between Auckland and Wellington. What he did not tell Wellingtonians was that it would start in Auckland and arrive in Wellington a long, long time from now.
Peter BrownIs it not true that Transmission Gully has been on the political agenda since the late 1980s - early 1990s, when it would have cost a good deal less, and that National did absolutely zilch when it had the opportunity?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
It is true that there were 9 long years when not a single bit of tarmac was laid for Transmission Gully under the National Government. But I do have to say that all the experience is that the cost of most roads tends to increase as one finds out what one has to do in order to build them.
Mark BlumskyIf Transit takes 5 years, as it plans, to do another report, and that report ends up stating the road is not viable, what is Plan B; how will the Minister tell the angry, frustrated motorists that one may well need to start from scratch again in 5 years’ time?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
Plan B is actually already on the agenda; it was Plan A before Wellington decided it wanted that as Plan A instead.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
Has the Minister seen any previous reports from a former Mayor of Wellington opposing Transmission Gully?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
I have to say there has been consistent opposition from the mayors of Wellington to the building of Transmission Gully, but maybe the member stumbled over the truth sometime during the election campaign.
Madam SPEAKERHow can the Minister have confidence in the board of Transit, when Transit stated in the Dominion Post just this week it was questioning whether it should rip up the asphalt between Pukerua Bay and Plimmerton—a project it has just recently completed, at a cost of tens of millions of dollars—and return the entire route back to just two lanes, which is a truly ridiculous suggestion, as I am sure the Minister would agree.
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
I sure there is some sense of frustration in Transit about the length of time Wellington has taken to decide upon its preferred operation, in terms of the western corridor. There have always been arguments on both sides in that respect. Members opposite put their fingers in the breeze, and decide on the basis of whatever way the wind is blowing which is the best road to build.
I seek leave to table a 2005 cost and programme review update on the Transmission Gully motorway and the coastal route.
I seek leave to table two items from the Dominion Post of Tuesday, 23 May. The first is headed “Congestion on a road to nowhere”.
I seek leave to table another item from the Dominion Post this week, entitled “Drivers in for decade of delay”.