If Chris Bishop, the newly elected Wellington Hutt South MP and likely Minister of Infrastructure, can build half the roads he promoted during the election campaign, he will replace Bob as our favourite builder.
As well as a second Mt Victoria tunnel, he campaigned on the promise to build two major roads in his home patch of Lower Hutt, the Petone-Grenada link and the Cross Valley Link (CVL).
Ultimately, the new Government could set its own priorities, even if Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency had different priorities.
It was the same with funding. The Government could reprioritise funding and take money intended for other areas, if it judged a project like Petone-Grenada or the second Mt Victoria tunnel to be the priority.
Greater Wellington councillor Thomas Nash is hopeful that once National is briefed on Wellington’s transport options, there will be a realisation that investing in the rail network is the No 1 priority.
