Greater Wellington News

Vote for your favourite public transport artwork!

Mon, 20 May 2013 08:20:18 +1200

Public voting opens today (20 May) for Metlink’s inaugural public transport art competition.

Peter Glensor, Chair of Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Economic Wellbeing Committee, says 16 finalists have been selected.

“I understand the selection panel had some tough decisions to make as while each of the entries was very unique, the quality of them all was very high. The competition called for artistic expressions of what your public transport means to you, and it’s clear from the entries that it means a range of different things to different people.

“Going by the entries, the amazing views from the train or the bus mean a lot to some people while others portrayed the contribution that our public transport makes to the uniqueness of Wellington. And others highlighted the breadth of Wellington’s public transport network and where it can take you. Clearly people have put a lot of time and energy into their entries – they’re fabulous.”

The winning designs will be produced into wraps on a Matangi train and a Wairarapa train, various buses and a harbour ferry. Some will also be produced as posters.

“Whichever entries win, they’ll really make the bus or train stand out.”

The harbour ferry design has already been chosen as only one entry met the criteria. James Goldsworthy, 10, from Upper Hutt, will soon see his picture which “helps you to remember all the goings on above and below the water while taking the ferry” adorned on the inside of a harbour ferry.

You can vote for your favourite bus and train design on the Itsyourtransport page on Facebook.

Voting closes on Friday 31 May.

The winning art will be displayed on buses, trains and a harbour ferry around the middle of the year.

For more information, phone our media team on 021 914 266 or email us.

New-look Tawa Station re-opens Monday 20 May

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:41:59 +1200

Tawa train commuters will return to a very different looking station this Monday (20 May).

A major upgrade was carried out after the Tawa Station building was found to be in a serious state of disrepair. The roof had had been leaking for years, destroying ceiling and wall linings and causing rafters and wall studs to rot. The building was also heavily infested with borer.

Peter Glensor, Chair of the Regional Council’s Economic Wellbeing Committee, which is responsible for public transport, says the station has a brand new shelter structure with a range of artistic panels displaying Tawa’s unique and historic features.

“The design is along very similar lines to the refurbishment of Naenae Station which the Regional Council did last year. The local community had a lot of input into features of the station, particularly the artistic shelter panels.

“Similarly for Tawa Station we worked very closely with the Tawa Historical Society and the Tawa Community Board on the design of the panels. It’s been a real community effort and has helped built the sense of ownership of this really important asset.

“Ensuring that we maintain these assets appropriately is a top priority. When the Regional Council took over ownership of all the station buildings, apart from Wellington Railway Station, in 2011 we carried out a thorough audit of them all and that’s when we became aware of the condition of Tawa Station. Following on from the audit, we’ve developed a comprehensive maintenance and repair programme. This should give us more opportunities to maintain rather than have to replace station buildings in the future.”

As well as the new structure at Tawa Station, there’s new and improved lighting, the platforms have been reshaped and resurfaced, platform frontages have been strengthened and substantial remedial work has been done on the pedestrian overbridge. Brand new signage at the station is the pilot for new signage at stations throughout the region.

“Catching a train to or from Tawa Station will be a much more enjoyable and safe experience from Monday.”

Evening commuters will be invited to join in an official opening of the station on Thursday 6 June.

For more information, please call 021 914 266 or email us

Bus service disruptions

Tue, 14 May 2013 16:45:30 +1200

Disruptions to GO Wellington and Valley Flyer bus services are likely to continue for a few more weeks but the number of daily disruptions is expected to reduce progressively, NZ Bus and Greater Wellington said today.

“We apologise to customers affected by service disruptions,” says Rachel Drew, NZ Bus Southern Chief Operations Officer.

She said eight buses are currently out of service, following recent checks by the Police Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit (CVIU) and several more were out of service due to accidents and vandalism.

The CVIU carries out random checks to ensure taxi and bus operators are complying with operational and safety regulations.

“We need to address some issues identified in the recent checks, such as the correct dimensions for safety signs, throughout our whole fleet and we are doing this progressively. NZ Bus has an agreed plan with the CVIU and the NZ Transport Agency to address issues. We are fully committed to the health and safety of our customers and employees.”

When the CVIU removes buses from service, for whatever reason, they must then go through a complete Certificate of Fitness process, similar to a Warrant of Fitness test for a car. “This all takes time and we have put extra resources into this and our depot staff are working through the night and weekends but unfortunately we expect services to be affected for a few more weeks. As time goes on we expect the number of service disruptions to reduce steadily.

“I know any disruption to services, if it affects you, is frustrating but the vast majority of services are still running. GO Wellington runs 1875 services each day and Valley Flyer runs 1,010. The current disruptions are affecting around three percent of services each day.”

Wayne Hastie, Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Public Transport General Manager, says the work must be done as buses need to comply with all the legal requirements. “Over the next few weeks we’ll continue to give customers information about the disruptions as soon as we can so they can plan their morning or evening commute. We’re aiming to have information about the morning peak hour service disruptions on the Metlink website the evening before. Information about evening peak hour services will be on the Metlink website by mid-afternoon. People without access to a computer or mobile device can call the Metlink Service Centre on 0800 801 700.”

He says the Council’s contracts with public transport operators require companies to meet general operational, safety and accessibility standards. “And we monitor this regularly at a reasonably high level. But our role, and level of authority, is not to drill down to the level that the CVIU does in terms of all the regulations and legal requirements that commercial vehicle operators must comply with. Our expectation when we enter into contracts with operators is that, as a matter of course, they comply with all the relevant operational and safety regulations.”

For more information, please call 021 914 266 or email us

Temporary bus diversions for Island Bay, Karori and Lyall Bay routes

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:34:49 +1200

Bus services on Route 1 between Wellington Station and Island Bay, and Route 3 between Karori and Lyall Bay will again be diverted away from the Basin Reserve and run instead via Taranaki and Wallace Streets from 2pm until 7.30pm today, due to a continuing power outage

Media Advisory

Tuesday 13 May 2013

Island Bay, Lyall Bay and Karori bus diversions

Bus services on Routes# 1, between Wellington Station and Island Bay, and #3 between Karori and Lyall Bay will again be diverted away from the Basin Reserve and run instead via Taranaki and Wallace Streets from 2pm until 7.30pm today, due to a continuing power outage.

All Route 3 services scheduled to start at Courtenay Place and travel to Karori will run along the normal route. This includes all Route3S and 3W bus services.

From 7.30pm services on routes will return to normal and will be run by diesel buses for the rest of the evening.

The source of the outage is a cable fault buried underground on Kent Terrace. The site is being dug out day today and repairs will be made during the night with the aim of having the supply restored by early tomorrow morning.

It's expected that tomorrow's morning peak services will run on the normal routes but customers should check the Metlink website www.metlink.org.nz or call Metlink on 0800 801 700 to see if services will be affected. The Metlink call centre is open from 6am tomorrow.

While trolley buses can travel for short periods on battery power, it's not possible to run regular frequent services using battery power as there's insufficient time for the batteries to be recharged and the time taken to detach and re-attach the trolley bus poles would cause serious delays. The battery power facility is designed for one-off temporary emergency situations.

Greater Wellington Regional Council and NZ Bus apologise to customers for the disruptions.

For more information call 021 914 266Bus services on Routes# 1, between Wellington Station and Island Bay, and #3 between Karori and Lyall Bay will again be diverted away from the Basin Reserve and run instead via Taranaki and Wallace Streets from 2pm until 7.30pm today, due to a continuing power outage.

All Route 3 services scheduled to start at Courtenay Place and travel to Karori will run along the normal route. This includes all Route3S and 3W bus services.

From 7.30pm services on Routes 1 and 3 will return to normal and will be run by diesel buses for the rest of the evening.

It's expected that tomorrow's morning peak services will run on the normal routes but customers should check with Metlink or call Metlink on 0800 801 700 to see if services will be affected. The Metlink call centre is open from 6am tomorrow.

Greater Wellington Regional Council and NZ Bus apologise to customers for the disruptions.

For more information call 021 914 266

Temporary disruptions to Wellington bus services

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:42:43 +1200

Greater Wellington Regional Council and NZ Bus apologise to Wellington bus customers for the disruptions to bus services this morning and advise there will be continued disruption in the short term. The Police Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit (CVIU) and New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) are carrying out inspections of Wellington buses and the impact of these, along with damage to some buses from Monday’s floods and street works, are causing serious disruptions for commuters this week.

Wayne Hastie, Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Public Transport General Manager, says this unfortunate combination has meant that this morning, for example, more than 50 peak time services were not able to run.

“The CVIU/NZTA inspections are the key reason but matters have been made worse by the fact that some trolley bus motors were damaged in Monday’s flood and are still being repaired and daytime street works mean that diesel buses are replacing all trolley buses along some key routes which in turn reduces the bus supply.

“We sincerely apologise for the frustration customers are experiencing. Services could be disrupted for some time until the issues that are identified have been addressed. We have met with NZ Bus to understand the issues and will continue to work with them on solutions for the immediate future. We’ll let people know what’s happening as soon as we can.”

Rachel Drew, NZ Bus Chief Operating Officer for Wellington, says: “NZ Bus understand that our performance is affecting customers, we are working through a plan which has been agreed with NZTA and CVIU to rectify the issues that have been identified. Work is also under way on proactive solutions for road performance.”

Wayne Hastie says the Regional Council’s contract with bus operators required them to have programmes in place to ensure vehicles met certain operational and safety standards and these were monitored regularly. “But our responsibilities are on an entirely different level from the CVIU.”

Senior Police Sergeant William Roy, Team Leader of Wellington region’s CVIU says the unit carries out checks on a variety of commercial vehicles as part of "business as usual". These checks are to ensure compliance with road safety, customer safety and regulations. As part of these duties CVIU complete random inspections with partner agencies such as the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) on passenger service vehicles including taxi, shuttles, school buses and buses. These checks are to ensure compliance with road safety, customer safety and regulations. This week checks have been carried out on Wellington area buses.

“Most issues are corrected on site prior to the bus taking business. CVIU and NZTA staff are working closely with the bus companies to ensure the driver of the day completes a similar "walk around" check of his bus to ensure regulations are complied with. Improvement is steady.”

Some of the regulatory issues have been interior lighting, signage size, signage obscured (normally by advertising signs) or signage damaged and in need of replacing.

Other issues have been seating not properly secured, for example, some seats may be a little loose and in need of tightening, as is the case with some grab rails, some can be loose. This is likely a result of damage caused by some passengers or bolts can come loose over time.

Mechanical faults have included oil leaks and at times exterior lighting not operating. These issues have been minor in nature.

"All of the above compliance issues can result in police issuing the bus with a non operation sticker until such times as the issues have been rectified. In most cases this can be immediate and in others some more detailed work is required. "

Customers should check Metlink regularly for updates about services.

For more information, please call 021 914 266 or email us.

Don't spread freshwater weeds whilst duck shooting

Fri, 03 May 2013 12:01:14 +1200

With the duck shooting season starting on Saturday 4 May, Great Wellington Regional Council and the Ministry for Primary Industries are reminding hunters in the lower North Island of the importance of cleaning their equipment between waterways to avoid the spread of unwanted freshwater pests.

“Unwanted freshwater pests such as didymo, hornwort, and lagarosiphon pose a serious threat to our rivers, streams and lakes. Once in a waterway they can disperse rapidly and destroy the environmental, recreational and aesthetic values of our waterways,” says Greater Wellington Regional Council Pest Plants team leader Richard Grimmett

“We are asking hunters moving between waterways to Check, Clean, Dry any equipment that has come into contact with river or lake water – particularly boots and decoys. Some freshwater pests are microscopic and can be spread by a single drop of water. Even if you can’t see the pest you could be spreading it.”

Mr Grimmett says before leaving a waterway, people should check items and leave any debris they find at the waterway.

“All items should then be cleaned for at least one minute with a five percent solution of biodegradable dishwashing solution. That’s about one tablespoon of detergent per 250ml.”

“Water absorbent materials such as boots require longer soaking times to allow thorough saturation.

“Drying will kill most freshwater pests, but even slightly moist items can harbour microscopic pests for months. To ensure cells are dead by drying, the item must be completely dry to the touch, inside and out, then left dry for at least another 48 hours before use,” says Mr Grimmett.

“Following these simple procedures will help stop freshwater pests from spreading throughout New Zealand waterways. It’s everyone’s responsibility to try to preserve the environmental integrity of our waterways for future generations.

“Just remember to Check Clean Dry when moving from one waterway to another, anywhere in New Zealand.”

For more information about freshwater pests and the Check, Clean, Dry programme go to www.mpi.govt.nz

Or contact our media team on 021 914 266 or email us.

Possum control coming to Kapiti

Fri, 03 May 2013 11:50:20 +1200

Kapiti residents can expect fewer possums and more native birdlife as Greater Wellington Regional Council’s possum control programme begins on the Kapiti Coast this year.

Regional Council chair Fran Wilde says wider possum control on the Kapiti Coast will improve the health of native bush and birds and the wider environment as a whole.

“Few people will argue that possums are not a pest. They ravage native forests and eat the eggs and chicks of native birds. They are just as happy stripping fruit trees, vegetable gardens and ornamental plants.

“There is no doubt the environment is more healthy and productive when possums are controlled to low numbers.”

Kapiti Coast District Council Mayor Jenny Rowan said the project fitted well with the aspirations of community groups who had been working hard to protect and enhance native forest remnants on the Kapiti Coast.

“More effort going into this area can only be good for our environment and communities,” says Mayor Rowan.

Chair Wilde says the project will cover as much land as possible to get the best knock-down of possums and the most benefit for Kapiti District and residents. Much of the work will be in rural areas, but there will be work on reserve land and natural areas in and around the towns.

Possum control programmes are already well established throughout the Hutt Valley, Wellington City, Otaki and Wairarapa.

“People in those areas have been delighted with the way native bush and birds have flourished with low possum numbers,” says Chair Wilde.

There are a number of small native forest remnants on the Kapiti Coast which already receive possum control by Regional Council, Department of Conservation or volunteers. This is a larger project covering some 20,000 hectares, which will support these smaller areas by reducing the number of possum that re-invade them.

Mayor Rowan says the Kapiti Coast is well placed to reap benefits of sitting between two native biodiversity gems in Kapiti Island and the Tararua Forest Park.

“This is a great opportunity to complement the work being done by DOC on Kapiti Island and in adjacent areas of the Tararua Forest Park as part of Project Kaka.

“We have a wildlife sanctuary teeming with native birds just off the coast and mature forest in the hills behind us where DOC is already controlling pests. With fewer possums our reserves and gardens will be a great place for these native birds to spread into.

Regional council staff will be visiting landowners to get their approval before any work begins.

The possum control project was proposed and supported in the regional council’s long term plan 2012-22.

Possum control method to be used

Staff will be using brodifacoum poison from bait stations.

Brodifacoum is an anti-coagulant poison that is available from retail chains and farm merchandise stores (under various trade names) and can be used by the public without a license.

Regional council staff are experienced in controlling possums safely around stock, pets and children.

Information signs will be put in place to advise the public of any risk.

For more information contact our media team on 021 914 266 or email us.

Beware a Himalayan invader

Thu, 02 May 2013 10:47:17 +1200

Himalayan balsam demonstrating its aggressive colonising habit under a weeping willow

Wairarapa has a chance to curb the antics of a bullying pest plant before if becomes a major problem, as it has in other parts of the world.

Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is a large annual plant native to the Himalayas. However, thanks to human introduction, it is not contained solely to that part of the planet.

Since its introduction to parts of North America, Europe and New Zealand, Himalayan balsam has been successful in escaping cultivation, getting into natural areas and making a nuisance of itself.

It grows quickly, forming dense stands and crowds out low growing vegetation easily, changing the habitat of native areas and reducing native biodiversity.

Himalayan Balsam produces around 800 seeds per plant and shoots its seeds more than a metre when the seed capsules are disturbed, or dry out. The seeds can travel easily within water which makes waterway margins extremely sensitive to an invasion.

This plant thrives in damp conditions, and easily tolerates shade. It has been found growing wild along river banks and wetland areas in Wairarapa.

The stems are hollow, with a purplish/red colour and grow up to three metres in height. Flowers are distinctively hooded, which leads to its other common name, ‘policeman’s helmet’. They are white, pink or purple in colour. Its leaves can grow up to 15cm in length, with sharply toothed edges.

Overseas Himalayan balsam is a serious problem along water margins, but in New Zealand we have the chance to stop it before it really succeeds.

If you think you have an over abundance of this species marching along your waterway or knuckling in on your garden treasures, contact us for help with identification and advice on your best control options.

Greater Wellington Regional Council on 0800 496 734, email pest.plants@gw.govt.nz , or alternatively check out the pest plant pages at www.gw.govt.nz.

Analysis of Wairarapa local governance report questions assumptions

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 09:59:36 +1200

An analysis of a report into the viability of a separate Wairarapa unitary council has been released by the Greater Wellington Regional Council.

The report, commissioned by the Wairarapa Governance Review Working Party and written by consultants MartinJenkins and corporate finance and economics advisory company Taylor Duignan Barry Ltd, concluded that a unitary council for Wairarapa was a viable option.

However the analysis just completed by the Regional Council questions the assumptions and information on which the conclusion was based.

Greater Wellington Regional Council Chair, Fran Wilde, says that staff analysis had found the report contains significant errors and other major flaws.

Regional Council Chief Executive David Benham says it was unfortunate that the consultants did not talk to the Regional Council about the assumptions or analysis they were doing. “Had they done so, the conclusion may have been quite different.

“We don’t believe the conclusion can be relied on.”

In summary the analysis found:

The report made overly optimistic assumptions about a Wairarapa unitary authority, unsupported by evidence.
The analysis of the GWRC funding gap is misleading and contains significant errors. For example, they have removed the cost of providing public transport because, they say, the Wellington Governance Review carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in 2010 also concluded it should be removed from the calculation. This is an error of fact. PwC did not reach that conclusion and it would be wrong to remove the costs.
The CentrePort dividend that would go to a Wairarapa unitary authority has been over-estimated.

It also found the consultants have:

been overly optimistic about the value of the forestry cutting rights sale
made overly optimistic assumptions about the environmental/water work undertaken by the Regional Council in Wairarapa, and have unrealistically estimated cost savings in that area
benchmarked GWRC environmental regulation and management against districts that are not comparable, and from that have concluded savings
made overly optimistic assumptions about the funding of land management activities under a Wairarapa unitary authority
included an assessment of a region-wide Unitary Authority which consistently applies only pessimistic assumptions. This includes, for example, the suggestion that a regional unitary authority would not continue to prioritise the Wairarapa Water Use project, and therefore by implication would not continue to fund it.

Regional Council analysis of Wairarapa local governance report

For more information, contact our media team on 021 914 266 or email us.

Economic recovery a collaborative effort

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:53:05 +1200

Collaborative effort is needed to help Wellington’s economic recovery according to a report to the Greater Wellington Economic Wellbeing committee.

The report from the Wellington Regional Strategy Project is based on economic trends over the past 10 years and key economic indicators over the past year. It aims to provide a collective picture of the local economy and to highlight possible areas of focus for the future.

The State of the Regional Economy report shows that while Wellington has a strong base for sustainable progress, economic recovery has been slower than in other parts of the country. The report suggests a commitment and a regional approach would help move the economy forward at the same pace as other regions.

The median annual income for Wellington residents is higher than for the rest of New Zealand with almost 40% of the workforce employed in highly skilled occupations (36% nationally). The region has a comparative advantage in a number of industries such as arts and recreational services, telecommunications, internet and library services, insurance, finance, electricity and gas industries.

The region’s infrastructure such as water and energy supply, public transport and roading and port services have the capacity for sustainable economic growth and residents are better serviced than other New Zealand regions in the areas of health and hazard mitigation.

On an international scale Wellington scores highly on infrastructure and community amenities. However, its global ranking is drastically affected by its inability to handle international connections and direct flights.

Also having a negative impact on economic growth is a population growth rate that is lowest for metropolitan regions and a reduction in the number of skilled migrants coming to the area. Wellington is trailing in employment growth, ranking 11^th out of 16 regions, 15^th for economic growth and 15^th for sector diversity.

Growth in the number of businesses is slightly below the national average and house prices have declined in Wellington while increasing in other parts of the country.

The report highlights the work already being done in the region to promote economic improvement such as the Wellington Regional Strategy Office project to promote ultrafast broadband, the recent all sector Call to Action Workshop and follow up work, the Wairarapa Water Use Project, and the proposal to expand Wellington Airport facilities which is currently included in the Wellington City Council’s strategic plan.

For more information contact our media team on 021 914 266 or email us.