National’s promise to begin new Mt Victoria Tunnel this term in doubt

National has long campaigned on building a second Mt Victoria tunnel in Wellington . Photo / Mark Mitchell

A promise made by National on the election campaign to begin work on a second Mt Victoria tunnel during the current Parliamentary term is in doubt after this week’s National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) did not commit to a timeframe for beginning construction on the new tunnel.

When asked about the apparent delay, Brown pointed to the fact the Government had decided to investigate a much more ambitious long tunnel proposal, which would effectively bypass Wellington’s CBD.

National’s transport policy at the election said the project would begin within three to five years; however, the party’s Infrastructure Spokesman Chris Bishop said the party’s promised fast-track consenting process would mean construction would begin “before the end of National’s first term”.

The NLTP for 2024-2027 said the Government would build the project but neglected to put a timeframe on it, unlike for other projects where construction times were given.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown told the Herald that shortly after becoming minister, he “learned that the previous Government had not given due consideration to the long tunnel option for Wellington”.

He said NZTA had been “undertaking work to bring the long tunnel proposal up to the same standard as the parallel tunnel proposal, so the costs and benefits of each project can be more easily compared”.

He said the tunnel would be “one of the largest infrastructure projects Wellington has seen in a long time” and it was important to “choose the right option for the city’s future”.

He said the project was still included in the NLTP “as a priority”.

“The Government is progressing legislative changes including fast track, which will speed up the delivery of the roading infrastructure New Zealand needs,” Brown said.

Labour’s Transport Spokesman Tangi Utikere said the plan showed the Government was preparing not to deliver on election commitments.

“This is the Government’s first Transport Plan, and Simeon Brown is already backtracking on promises and preparing to not deliver.

“National has wasted more than $1.3 million so far on an investigation for a long tunnel in Wellington to cover up the fact that they aren’t starting work on a second Mt Victoria tunnel,” he said.

While the NLTP confirmed most of the transport projects the Government had promised on the campaign trail broadly as they had been promised, the Mt Victoria Tunnel was not the only project to have been delayed.

On the campaign, Brown had promised to fully fund and finish the Eastern Busway with work meant to begin within one to three years.

The NLTP, however, suggests construction might not begin in the 2024-2027 period covered by the plan, which only promised construction “subject to funding availability”.

Brown told the Herald the Government was committed to the project and that it was currently scheduled to begin at the end of the current 2024-2027 programme.

“We expect final funding decisions to be made closer to this time,” he said.

He said the plan includes funding for “interim Stage 4 of the Eastern Busway project”.

”This will enable rapid bus services all the way to Botany Town Centre, where the bus stops will be upgraded.”

Describing the fact the busway was not guaranteed by the programme as a “cut”, Utikere said, “cutting election promises like the Eastern Busway shows the Government lacks ambition for anything other than roads and cars”.

Thomas Coughlan is Deputy Political Editor and covers politics from Parliament. He has worked for the Herald since 2021 and has worked in the press gallery since 2018.