Road freight peak body Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand has welcomed Wellington City Council’s decision to reduce the number of raised crossings along a 1.7km section of Thorndon Quay from five down to two, with one crossing being removed entirely. All crossings will be light-controlled, to ensure pedestrian safety.

Wellington City Council’s Regulatory Processes Committee made the decision at today’s meeting, having heard presentations from Transporting New Zealand, Heavy Haulage Association, the Automobile Association, and Bus and Coach Association opposing the excessive number of raised platforms.

The transport groups had emphasised the damage to heavy vehicles, delays, noise and environmental emissions and discomfort to bus users and other commuters that the raised platforms would cause.

Council officers’ preferred option, in advice to the Regulatory Processes Committee, was to retain the five raised platforms, requiring the Council to take on an estimated $312,500 of additional debt, rather than saving $625,000 by not raising any signalised crossings, and an additional $125,000 saving by removing a proposed crossing outside Gun City. 

Transporting New Zealand Interim Chief Executive Dom Kalasih says that while the remaining two raised crossings would still cause disruptions to road users, the decision was a pragmatic outcome from Council, who had inherited the project from Let’s Get Wellington Moving.

“Having five raised and signalised pedestrian crossings, within a 1.7km stretch of road just didn’t pass a common-sense check. This decision has partially addressed our concerns on the raised platform element of the proposed signalised crossings. The lights at the crossings alone will achieve the function of stopping traffic while avoiding unnecessary vehicle damage, delays and passenger discomfort.”

“We will continue to engage constructively with Council on the implementation of this project, and other transport projects and priorities. I hope that this spirit of pragmatism will continue so we really can get Wellington moving.”

Delaney Myers from the Bus and Coach Association praised the leadership of the Mayor and thanked Councillors that listened to concerns, particularly Councillor Tony Randle and Councillor Ray Chung.

“The Bus and Coach Association would prefer no raised platforms on bus routes unless there is no alternative. Given the decision reached for Thorndon Quay, it is essential that these raised platforms are built in a way that does not do damage to buses or other heavy vehicles. We will work with Council to highlight where this is occurring on other Wellington roads as damage from these features to date has cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.”