Waka Kotahi - Reshaping Streets Proposal

Our Comments

The Chamber writes to offer constructive feedback on the Reshaping Streets Proposal (the Proposal) and comments specifically in relation to Wellington.

We endorse attempts to reduce regulations and red tape for new infrastructure projects. Doing so will reduce the costs on tax and ratepayers, and by extension lower the costs on business. New infrastructure projects being built faster and more affordably has the strong support of the business community.

However, the Chamber wishes to express concern about the intent of the Proposal. The goal of transport changes should be to improve efficiency and help us get around, not slow us down. Transport should be more reliable, central cities more accessible. The Reshaping Streets Proposal, in its current form, will not achieve this.

There is little mention in the consultation document of helping people get to work faster, find a park when they travel to central cities, or help businesses get their product delivered on time. Instead, the proposal is focused on delivering outcomes that businesses largely do not want and removing their ability for recourse when this happens.

The Proposal is not a neutral effort to cut red tape and over-consultation on new infrastructure projects. Its stated aims are to slow down streets, remove carparks, and make doing business harder. There may be merit to these changes in certain circumstances, but they should be treated equally to other changes to speed up traffic flows and make cities more accessible to vehicles...

Download to read more.