Next year will mark a decade since a Basin Reserve flyover plan failed and the wheels were set in motion for what would become Let’s Get Wellington Moving (LGWM). Two years after the flyover failure, residents were invited to a “Let’s get Wellington moving survey”.
That is nine years since the genesis of LGWM, or longer if you count the protracted failure of the Basin Reserve flyover. Babies born during the flyover hearings are now approaching teen years, the capital has had four mayors, we have had a pandemic, a major earthquake, and the cost of LGWM has jumped from $2.3 billion when it was officially announced in 2018 to $7.4b.
It is easy to understand the frustration of six Wellington City councillors who this week signed a notice of motion that effectively calls for the council to withdraw from LGWM – a move that, if successful (unlikely but possible), would be the end of the programme.
The frustration is with the drawn-out process but also with a programme that has spent huge money on contractors and consultation but achieved very little concrete. Frustration peaked after a private session for regional and city councillors last week when, according to multiple people there, LGWM staff were reticent to give definitive answers.
Then, to further add confusion to the quagmire, a leaked email shows Mayor Tory Whanau on Tuesday emailed some councillors that “the Minister is currently reviewing the governance arrangements” for LGWM. When Transport Minister Michael Wood’s office was asked about this, the answer was no, “there isn’t a review under way” though he would continue to consider arrangements as needed.
For further reading of the article in The Post
