Let’s Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) met with more than 250 representatives of the professional services industry in Auckland and Wellington today to brief them on the large components of the $6.4 billion programme and LGWM’s upcoming business case work.

LGWM programme director Andrew Body says meeting with the industry to discuss the large projects in the programme is a significant milestone.

“Today’s meetings were about updating the industry on where the programme is at and giving them as much notice as possible of our timelines. Importantly, we want to get the industry’s feedback on our proposed procurement approach to the business case process,” Mr Body says.

“Mass rapid transit, improvements at the Basin Reserve and an extra Mt Victoria tunnel, are large and complex projects and will require substantial planning and design. We need specialists with a strong understanding of what it takes to get things done in Wellington, combined with international expertise in planning, design and implementation of mass rapid transit.

“At its heart, Let’s Get Wellington Moving seeks to deliver a multi-modal transport system that moves more people with fewer vehicles.

“Connecting the central city with Newtown, Miramar and the airport, mass rapid transit will improve travel choice through the city on a second public transport spine. It will help shape a more compact and sustainable city and region by integrating the transport system with land use and urban development priorities.

“We need to determine the most appropriate mode and route for mass rapid transit, and how it integrates with the wider transport system, particularly the bus network, and other projects in the programme.

“The state highways package will investigate which improvements at the Basin Reserve will provide the best outcomes for the transport network and the community. It will also investigate the extra Mt Victoria tunnel, and how the wider transport system will operate with these improvements.

“The two packages will be carefully integrated to ensure that mass rapid transit and the state highway work together in the best possible way for Wellington.

“Our aim is to establish a robust and open process, and to ensure all options for procurement are considered,” Mr Body says.

The industry briefing provided information on the overall programme and the market engagement process.

LGWM intends to issue ‘requests for tender’ for professional services for the mass rapid transit and state highways projects by the end of October, with responses due before the end of this year. Contracts are scheduled to be awarded in early 2020.

In May, the Government announced a $6.4 billion indicative package for Let’s Get Wellington Moving. In August, the first contract of LGWM’s early delivery programme, the Golden Mile, was released to tender and is due to be awarded by early November.

Let’s Get Wellington Moving is a partnership between Wellington City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, and the NZ Transport Agency. LGWM’s vision is to build a great harbour city, accessible to all, with attractive places, shared streets, and efficient local and regional journeys. To realise this vision, the programme is focused on moving more people with fewer vehicles.

© Scoop Media