Work will start on Wellington's Cobham Drive crossing despite judicial review action

An artist's impression of the shared pathway at Cobham Drive. Image / WCC

A court has decided there are no grounds for granting an interim injunction to stop a pedestrian crossing being built on State Highway 1 in Wellington.

Let's Get Wellington Moving (LGWM), the city's multi-billion-dollar transport project, plans to build an at-grade crossing controlled by traffic lights on Cobham Drive near the airport.

Wellington Airport is leading the charge against the crossing, saying it will make congestion worse for 35,000 daily road users and that the views of the community have been ignored.

The airport launched legal action by way of judicial review proceedings earlier this year.

Today the High Court in Wellington has found there are no grounds for granting interim relief to stop physical works, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said in a statement.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency regional relationships director Emma Speight welcomed the decision.

"At this stage there is still a planned judicial review hearing later this year to hear the full claim made by the airport.

"The finding means that we can continue, along with our partners in Let's Get Wellington Moving, our work to provide safe walking and cycling access across Cobham Drive."

Speight said LGWM will share more information about next steps and construction plans in coming days.

A Wellington Airport spokesperson said they would take time to consider the judgment and next steps.

"Our main interest in this issue is that we think it's time our city transport decision makers listen to Wellingtonians who rightly want efficient travel for every mode, not benefits for one at the expense of the others."

The airport has received overwhelming support from local residents and businesses in opposition to the "flawed proposal", the spokesperson said.

"Installing traffic lights and a pedestrian crossing will only make congestion into the city worse, not better. Forcing vehicles to move at walking pace is not the way to get our city moving.

"There are better options such as an overbridge to achieve the outcomes we all want."

LGWM representatives have argued people have been making unsafe crossings because there is no convenient alternative for almost 2km along Cobham Drive.

"These changes will make it safer and easier for people to move around the area, including the increasing number of people walking, running, riding bikes and using wheelchairs on the new shared pathway along Evans Bay," Speight said.

There have been 528 crashes over the past 10 years along the stretch of state highway between Mt Victoria and Wellington Airport, which have killed two people and seriously injured 16, LGWM has reported.