Editor,
Recent articles and letters to the editor in this publication highlight the lack of reliable information and understanding about this road and process being followed.
Everyone on the coast agrees that we have a transport problem that needs to be sorted out. We all agree that better access will benefit all. We all agree transport is a strategic importance and some certainty for all parties is important. We all agree that the solution needs to be affordable, logical and serve both the local national interest. (However, the problem while annoying, is not that great and significantly smaller than that experienced in other part of Wellington city.)
The Alliance is working to their limited technical brief to design an expressway for an arbitrarily designated route (not originally preferred by NZTA – the experts in road building). Essentially this process is deciding what colour and where the deck chairs are located on the Titanic. This will provide one item of the equation the cost (probably understated and include none of the social / private costs).
So far no reliable significant benefits have been offered to us by the sponsor of this project Stephen Joyce. The initial return on spending has been identified as 0.6. (If you think this is a good return, then a guy called Bernie Madoff would like to see your money!)
We, as a country, cannot afford to spend lavishly on underperforming capital spending especially if it requires future governments to implement measures which hits all New Zealanders (locally and nationally) by raising GST and direct taxes to much higher levels and reducing day to day essential government spending (health etc) as requirements for being bailed out by overseas financiers.
We need the project sponsor to ensure we get the transport infrastructure we deserve by instructing NZTA to undertake additional studies of alternative solutions (i.e. underpass Waikanae, overpass at Paraparaumu, 2 lane local Western link road and upgrade current SH1) with the full cost and realistic benefits (including additional employment) so that the process is transparent and we can be assured the most affordable, logical and effective solution is implemented.
Marten Kooij
Waikanae
