Media statement

Transmission Gully Project a threat to the Environment

The Transmission Gully Highway project should be halted…the billion dollar project will have significant impact on the ecology of local streams and the Pautahunui Inlet, and was a misallocation of road capacity, Green Party Regional Councillor Paul Bruce said today.

"I am disturbed that the Wellington Project was still full steam ahead," said Cr Bruce. "The upgrade of rail and rising fuel prices will soon take cars and freight off the road and will effectively end increases in traffic."

Environment Minister Nick Smith has referred a plan change to a Board of Inquiry of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to speed up process on the highway, but Cr Bruce noted that recreational freshwater fisheries and indigenous fish water habitats were threatened unless there was a more careful consideration of the issues than the proposed Plan Change. Over 5.5 million cubic metres of earthworks or 550,000 truck loads of rock and soil are also likely to lead to further sedimentation of the Inlet and Porirua Harbour.

"Express ways will also feed more high speed vehicles into congested Wellington streets, making a mockery of the recently launched Traffic Safety program, " added Cr Paul Bruce. By contrast, upgrades of rail can provide an earthquake and sea level rise proof alternative to new roads, as well as decreasing greenhouse emissions, he noted.

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