Wellington City Council officers recommend borrowing to fund controversial Thorndon Quay raised pedestrian crossings

Thorndon Quay is described as one of the most important commuter routes in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Wellington City Council may have to use debt to foot a $312,500 bill for raised pedestrian crossings on Thorndon Quay.

Council documents state New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advised last week it will no longer fund “raised safety platforms” following the Government’s policy statement on land transport. “This applies not only to projects in design or development, but also to projects in the construction phase, such as Thorndon Quay,” the document, being considered by the council’s Regulatory Processes Committee, reads.

When the council adopted its Long-Term Plan, it was assumed NZTA would fund the raised safety platforms. Now, it’s back to the drawing board for the council in relation to the controversial Thorndon Quay roadworks, which plans to put five signalised raised pedestrian crossings in place.

Council officers’ preferred option is to fund the loss of cash from the transport agency through debt - estimated to be approximately $312,500. The city’s Regulatory Processes Committee will consider the next steps on Thursday.

The total project was approved with a budget of $45.8 million, with the plans estimated to be fully carried out by June next year.

Councillor Nicola Young, a representative for the Pukehīnau Lambton ward, told NZME she was “horrified” by the prospect of the city “taking on more debt”.

Earlier in the year, Wellington City Council signed off a 16.9% average rates increase, brought up to 18.5% with the inclusion of the sludge levy.

“People are really upset about the rates increases and the council has to stop borrowing money,” Young said. “We have to stop it - people are outraged at what we are doing on Thorndon Quay.”

Wellington City councillor Nicola Young. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Construction started on the Thorndon Quay project in late 2023 under Let’s Get Wellington Moving and was transferred to the Wellington City Council in March, with an aim to bolster public transport choices from the northern suburbs to the city.

The council has deemed Thorndon Quay “one of the most important commuter routes” in the city, with approximately 10,000 people travelling the route by bus, 1300 by bike, and 9000 by car on weekdays.

The popularity of pedestrian access and cycling trips along Thorndon Quay is expected to grow even more with the opening of Wellington-Lower Hutt cycling link Te Ara Tupua.

Disruptive roadworks around the site have proved contentious, and have prompted backlash from Fire and Emergency New Zealand and a number of local businesses along the route.

“Due to this feedback and change in funding status, further consideration of the inclusion of raised safety platforms in the Thorndon Quay design is warranted,” the council’s agenda noted.

The Government’s policy statement on land transport states it is an expectation investment in safety will not be made in “traffic calming measures”, including speed bumps, raised platforms and in-lane bus stops.

Other options outlined in the document to go before the committee are not recommended by council officers.

The committee will consider keeping signalised crossings but removing raised platforms, a choice estimated to save $625,000 and cut five days of construction time. Council documents warn initial indications from an independent audit suggest these crossings could be a “serious safety risk” that may need to be modified, eventually adding costs and time.

The savings made in option two would be outweighed if raised safety platforms were to be installed after the project finished, with an estimated price tag of $1.14m.

Removing the crossing at Gun City is also under consideration and would reduce the costs of the plan by $125,000; this is not recommended however as construction is already taking place.

Cyclists using the new cycleway along Thorndon Quay. Photo / Mark Mitchell

A social media post by councillor Ben McNulty said it would take “four meetings over the next five weeks to have a report on what to do with Thorndon Quay”, suggesting the decision about raised platforms would be deferred from the Regulatory Processes Committee to the whole council.

Pukehīnau Lambton ward councillor Iona Pannett supported referring the decision to the entire council, and added she was “committed to change” along Thorndon Quay.

In an interview with NZME, McNulty said in light of a “tight financial position” and rates bills being viewed as unpopular by many, he doesn’t believe the council can fund the shortfall.

“I don’t think there’s wide support for retaining the design and all the raised platforms as proposed. We’ve heard from bus operators concerned around not just slowing down the speed of the buses, but potentially damaging the buses,” McNulty said, adding some believed five raised crossings in a stretch of road smaller than two kilometres could be seen as “overkill”.

On the idea of debt-funding the safety improvements being seen as a preferred option according to the council agenda, McNulty, who serves as deputy chairman of the Regulatory Processes Committee, said it would be difficult for officials to say “we need to backtrack on safety”.

“You’re going to generally find council advice is always going to lean on the safer option, even though it might be sort of at odds with what seems particularly logical,” he added.

Azaria Howell is a Wellington-based multimedia reporter with an eye across the region. She joined NZME in 2022 and has a keen interest in city council decisions, public service agency reform and transport.