RELEASED UNDER THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL INFORMATION AND
MEETINGS ACT 1987
Report
PE 08.275
Date
9 April 2008
File
TD/04/04/06
Committee
Transport and Access
Author
Adam Lawrence Public Transport Planner
Agreement for development of the Johnsonville
Bus/Rail Interchange
1.
Purpose
To seek approval from the Committee to enter into a legal agreement with
Dominion Funds Limited, ONTRACK, Toll Holdings (Toll), Mana Coach
Services (Mana) and Wellington City Council committing to the development
of a new Johnsonville Bus/Rail Interchange, which is required as a result of the
Johnsonville Mall redevelopment.
To report back following completion of the investigation and preliminary
design of a preferred option.
2.
Public excluded
The information contained in this report relates to a legal agreement between
parties for a new Johnsonville Bus/Rail Interchange. Negotiations are still
taking place. Having this part of the meeting open to the public would
disadvantage Greater Wellington in commercial negotiations.
Certain portions of the information contained in this report are subject to a
mutually understood obligation of confidence between Greater Wellington and
the developer. Release would be likely to prejudice the supply of similar
information in the future. It is in the public interest that such information
should continue to be supplied to ensure Greater Wellington is able to be fully
informed.
Greater Wellington has not been able to identify a public interest favouring
disclosure of this particular information in public proceedings of the meeting
that would override these prejudices.
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3.
Significance of the decision
The matters for decision in this report
do not trigger the significance policy of
the Council or otherwise trigger section 76(3)(b) of the Local Government Act
2002.
4.
Background
The 2007/08 Annual Plan includes a budget provision of $1.0 million for
development of the Johnsonville Bus/Rail Interchange with $100,000 funding
from Greater Wellington (debt funded), $300,000 C1 funding and $600,000 N
funding from Land Transport NZ. Please note these funding allocations are
conditional on the approval of a funding application to Land Transport NZ.
In May 2007 (Report PE 07.584) the Passenger Transport Committee
considered a substantial paper on the Johnsonville Bus/Rail Interchange. The
Committee agreed that officers would further investigate and complete a
preliminary design for the preferred option, which was identified as:
“…an interchange with bus stops on the eastern side of Moorefield Road
only, connecting directly to the rail platform and Mall plaza. Buses
would circulate in an anti-clockwise direction around the Johnsonville
triangle.”
Officers advised they would report back to the Committee for final funding
approval following completion of the investigation and design work.
5.
Comments
5.1
Investigation and design
Land Transport NZ approved funding for the investigation and preliminary
design work which has been carried out by Duffill Watts and Tse Ltd with
input from the stakeholders and developer.
The following options (consistent with the preferred option agreed by the
Committee) were investigated:
•
Option A:
Bus platform on Moorefield Road with no station
upgrade
•
Option B1:
Bus platform with single rail platform and single
track
•
Option B1+B2:
Bus platform with double rail platform and double
track (second platform/track built at same time as
first platform/track)
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•
Option C1:
Bus platform and central (island) rail platform with
single track
•
Option C2:
Bus platform and central (island) rail platform with
double track
•
Option D:
Elevated bus terminal and commuter parking
structure
Option B1 and B1+B2 were both identified as feasible. The other options were
discounted for various reasons. Option A was discounted as it did not improve
passenger links, facilities or safety. Options C1 and C2 were discounted
because of operational constraints, in particular the inability to provide a 150m
long platform. Option D was discounted due to high costs.
Duffill Watts and Tse Ltd have recommended Option B1+B2 as their preferred
option. The estimated cost for Option B1 is $2.0 million and for Option B1+B2
the estimated cost is $2.7 million.
5.2
Stakeholder and developer negotiations
5.2.1
Stakeholder negotiations
The stakeholders are ONTRACK, Wellington City Council, Toll, Mana and
Greater Wellington. Greater Wellington has been leading the stakeholder
negotiations to agree a common stakeholder position to be communicated to
the developer. This has been a protracted process but agreement has now been
reached.
While the stakeholders, including Wellington City Council, have reached
agreement on the public transport requirements there remains some uncertainty
as to whether the overall mall redevelopment will be supported by Wellington
City Council.
The stakeholders have agreed to Option B1+B2 as the preferred option. Further
details of the agreed option are provided in Section 5.3 below.
5.2.2
Developer negotiations
The developer is Dominion Funds Ltd. The developer is redeveloping
Johnsonville Mall and as a consequence has to mitigate the impacts of this
development on public transport around the Johnsonville triangle.
Greater Wellington and the other stakeholders have been negotiating
concurrently with the developer to agree a Public Transport Agreement setting
out an agreed process for the planning, design and construction of the public
transport works, including allocation of costs and responsibilities.
The developer has agreed to the stakeholders’ preferred option (Option B1+B2)
and to fund the public transport works. Please note they are seeking
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reimbursement of any funding Greater Wellington has currently budgeted for
as well as any funding Greater Wellington is successful in obtaining from Land
Transport NZ.
Further details of what has been agreed are outlined in Secti
on 5.3 below.
5.3
Public Transport Agreement
Officers are in the final stages of agreeing the Public Transport Agreement but
seek the endorsement of this Committee prior to committing to any agreement.
The Public Transport Agreement is a legal mechanism intended to record the
agreement reached between the stakeholders and the developer for public
transport at Johnsonville, including the new bus/rail interchange and bus stops
around the Johnsonville triangle.
The Public Transport Agreement, in defining a public transport solution to the
satisfaction of the stakeholder, was also a precondition for Wellington City
Council to stop and transfer Gothic and Hawera Streets (within the existing
mall carpark) to the developer as part of a separate agreement between those
parties.
5.3.1
Key components of the agreement
The purpose of the Public Transport Agreement and objectives of the parties
are outlined in Attachment One. Key components of the Public Transport
Agreement are outlined below.
1. The agreement sets out an agreed Public Transport Solution which can be
summarised as follows:
Public transport improvements and works:
a. Development of a new bus/rail interchange which includes:
i. Bus bays on the eastern side of Moorefield Road, connecting
directly to the eastern rail platform and integrated with the
proposed mall plaza
ii. Rail improvements including two rail platforms and double
tracking at the station
iii. Other associated works
b. Provision of licensed commuter parking within the mall parking
building (at no cost to Greater Wellington or users) to replace
commuter carparks displaced by the redevelopment. 36 spaces will
operate every day from half an hour before the first service to half
an hour after the last service. A further 55 spaces will operate from
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half an before the first service until 5:30pm Monday to Friday only.
This will include two disabled commuter parking spaces.
c. Provision of new bus stops and other public transport improvements
around the Johnsonville triangle
Roading works:
d. Roading improvements required to enable implementation of the
public transport improvements and works, in particular:
i. The upgrade of Broderick Road overbridge to enable bus
turning movements out of the new interchange
ii. The upgrade of Moorefield road to enable integration of that
road and the new interchange
iii. Other works required to implement the public transport
improvements and works
e. Provision of new bus stops and other public transport improvements
(also noted in c above) located within the road reserve around the
Johnsonville triangle
Interim facilities:
f. Licensing of interim facilities to provide for the continued operation
of the existing Johnsonville interchange, and any alternative
facilities, until such time as the new interchange has been
completed
Other rights:
g. Licensed commuter parking (described in b above)
h. Land exchange between ONTRACK and the developer to enable
construction of the second platform and to ensure future proofing of
the rail corridor
2. The agreement requires the formation of a
Project Control Group to carry
out the planning, design and construction of the above works. This group
will include membership from ONTRACK, Toll, Wellington City Council,
Greater Wellington and the developer.
3. The agreement requires the developer to consult and obtain the written
approval of the stakeholders in relation to the public transport solution and
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to ensure their applications for resource consent are consistent with the
public transport solution.
4. The agreement provides for the following funding arrangements:
a. The developer is required to fund the full cost of the public
transport solution, which is estimated at $2.7 million.
b. The developer is required to lodge an article of faith (e.g. bond) to
ensure funding (the terms of this are still being negotiated).
c. Greater Wellington is required to contribute the following costs
towards meeting the public transport requirements:
i. $100,000 less the amount spent on the investigation and
design work.
ii. Any funding, of up to $900,000 less the amount spent on the
investigation and design work, received from Land
Transport New Zealand, the Crown or any other body for
the public transport solution
iii. Greater Wellington is to use its best endeavours to obtain
funding from Land Transport New Zealand, the Crown or
any other body up to the maximum levels identified but
makes no representation as to the outcomes of such
endeavours.
d. ONTRACK is also required to contribute any funding it may
receive for the public transport solution at Johnsonville
5. The agreement requires all parties to agree a proposed programme. This
section is still being developed as the developer has identified specific
dates for certain activities to occur which may not be achievable. The
preference of officers is that the programme will identify a sequence of
actions taking account of interrelationships and identify key milestones
rather than deadlines. The agreement will not be conditional on meeting
any specific dates.
6. The agreement explicitly states that Greater Wellington is entering into the
agreement in its passenger transport planning capacity and that execution of
the document does not bind Greater Wellington in its regulatory capacity.
A similar clause relates to Wellington City Council.
The final stages of negotiation are continuing including seeking appropriate
legal advice.
5.3.2
Summary of positive public transport outcomes
The following public transport outcomes are expected:
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• New modern interchange providing shelter, security and level access
between the station and buses
• High quality connections between the interchange, mall redevelopment and
Johnsonville town centre
• Commuter parking retained (although limitation on hours of operation)
including provision of two disabled parking spaces not currently provided
• Improved travel times and increased public transport coverage around the
Johnsonville triangle
• All improvements to be funded by the developer with Greater Wellington
only contributing monies from existing budgets and subject to approval by
Land Transport NZ.
5.4
Committee decision making
The Chief Executive has the delegated authority to sign off on the Public
Transport Agreement as the project is included in the 2007/08 Annual Plan.
However, due to the importance of the agreement and a previous undertaking
to report back to the Committee it is considered appropriate to request the
Committee’s endorsement of the broad terms of the agreement.
The project is already included in the 2007/08 Annual Plan and forms part of
the rail improvements provided for in the Regional Land Transport Strategy,
and thus it falls within the Committee’s delegated authority.
In addition the agreement provides for 100% funding of the public transport
solution by the developer with Greater Wellington only contributing funding
already budgeting should it be successful in applying to Land Transport New
Zealand.
5.5
Next steps
Subject to the Committee’s endorsement, the Chief Executive and the other
parties plan to execute the Public Transport Agreement on Friday 9 May 2008
provided negotiations are successfully concluded.
Once the agreement is signed the
Project Control Group will be formed and
planning commence for the final design and construction of the public
transport solution in conjunction with the mall redevelopment in accordance
with the agree programme timing.
6.
Communication
No communication is required other than continued negotiations between the
stakeholders and the developer to enable execution of the Public Transport
Agreement.
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7.
Recommendations
That the Committee:
1.
Receives the report.
2.
Notes the content of the report.
3.
Agrees to the public transport solution identified for Johnsonville in this
report.
4.
Agrees to and endorses the provisions outlined in this report for the
Public Transport Agreement.
5.
Notes that officers intend to execute the agreement before the end of
May, subject to satisfactory completion of negotiations between the
parties.
Report prepared by:
Report approved by:
Adam Lawrence
Wayne Hastie
Public Transport Planner
Divisional Manager, Public
Transport
Attachment 1: Purpose of Public Transport Agreement and objectives of the parties
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