Act says second Mt Vic tunnel is Auckland cycle bridge all over again

The Government wants to convert the existing Mt Victoria tunnel into one for walking and cycling only. Image / Supplied

Act says a "bonkers" billion-dollar Government plan will drastically reduce the capacity of Wellington's existing Mt Victoria tunnel for just 6,000 walkers and cyclists.

The preferred option for the Let's Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) transport plan includes a second Mt Victoria tunnel with two lanes for private vehicles and two lanes for public transport. The existing tunnel will be converted into one for walking and cycling.

Written parliamentary questions by the Act Party show it's estimated about 3000 bike trips will be made through the converted tunnel per day, provided there is a connected cycle network in the central city.

It's thought between 2400 and 3600 pedestrians will also use it on a daily basis.

This is compared to up to 55,000 motorists who currently use the tunnel every day.

Act transport spokesman Simon Court criticised the Government's preferred option for providing no additional capacity for vehicles.

"Spending billions of dollars in a cost-of-living crisis to provide no further capacity for motorists is madness, but according to Labour it's justified if 6,000 walkers or cyclists get to use the tunnel."

The cost to build the new tunnel and convert the existing one is estimated to be $1.4 billion. Separate costs were not available.

Court said Wellington's growing population would not be able to move around without more lanes through Mt Victoria for vehicles.

"Just like he did with the cancelled Auckland Cycle Bridge, Minister Wood has put his ideology before common sense – at great expense to taxpayers."

Transport Minister Michael Wood and Infrastructure Minister Grant Robertson announcing the Government's preferred option for Let's Get Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Transport Minister Michael Wood said overall transport capacity through Mt Victoria would not be reduced, as the same capacity for cars was being moved to the second tunnel.

"The only ideology at play here is the 1950s approach of Act and National who oppose any and every initiative to support public transport, walking and cycling.

"Through the construction of a new tunnel, we will be able to move tens of thousands of additional people through a high-quality rapid bus transit network while providing improved options for walkers and cyclists and maintaining the existing capacity for private vehicles."

Wood said it was disingenuous to look at a single component of the network and there was overwhelming support for the Government's preferred option, which also includes light rail to the south and grade separation at the Basin Reserve.

He said the initial projections for walking and cycling volumes will be further explored in the next phase of the LGWM programme.

"It is worth noting they are a significant increase compared with current volumes."

Currently just 200 one-way trips per day are made by pedestrians and 300 trips by cyclists.

LGWM's partner councils have already manoeuvred to try to ensure a second tunnel provides no additional capacity for cars under any future governments.

Reducing carbon emissions and increasing mode shift have been given the greatest weighting among LGWM's objectives. None of the objectives include making it easier to drive.

Still, the Infrastructure Commission has criticised the Government's preferred option for being "fundamentally counter-productive" to achieving national carbon reduction targets.

It would only begin to achieve net carbon emission reductions in 2055.

Meanwhile, the Green Party has called on the Government to guarantee it will complete light rail and improve walking, cycling, and bus journeys across Wellington before digging new high-carbon tunnels.