Of course, the GWRC transport plans (PDF) are well worth protesting about: more roads, no light rail? Despite the hundreds (and the great majority) of submissions asking for the opposite?

As Wellington City Councillor and Greens’ spokesperson Iona Pannett points out…

The Plan ignores Wellingtonians’ huge support for more public transport, their opposition to new tunnels and Wellington City’s commitment to carbon neutrality … Over 4,500 people made submissions on the study the Plan is based on, with 3,750 people supporting light rail, more buses and walking and cycling options whilst opposing the two tunnels and flyover. In contrast only 480 people submitted that the tunnels should be built. So, by a ratio of nearly 8 to 1 there was huge support for public transport and opposition to roads…

Quite.

But, what really caught the eye was the many protesters’ placards. Not so much the front of them, but the back. It was heartening to see the Greens and their allies recycling (presumably) discarded Real Estate signage upon which to display their protest slogans. Nice.

I suspect that recycling was as much to do with economy as it was environmentalism, but we’ll take the praise thanks.

‘I think there are some [things] we have to do,’ she told The Dominion Post.

…Ms Prendergast said a new Mt Victoria tunnel should be a high priority, regardless of what submitters to the study say.

Well, that will certainly encourage democratic participation.

Prendergast’s tunnel vision is odd given the Council’s long standing cost objections to building a cheaper ($140 million) light rail system to solve exactly the same transport concerns.

As Green Party Wellington City Councillor Celia Wade Brown notes ‘people can’t take their cars on a plane.’ So the real solution to transport to the airport should include extensive public transport, not more roads or holes in our landscape.  

‘The high speed corridor concept reduces the ability to make local trips by active modes – walking, running and cycling.’