Bid to speed up projects described as ‘meddling’

A bid to speed up $40 million worth of road upgrades has been shot down amid concerns about ‘‘chopping and changing’’ projects and prioritising certain parts of Christchurch.

City councillors were asked this week whether they supported giving ‘‘high priority’’ status to a swathe of roading projects, which are being fully funded through a $40m Government cash injection, first promised in 2017.

Some $30m will go towards five areas of the city: Riccarton and Fendalton, Richmond, New Brighton, Linwood and Woolston, and Spreydon, Somerfield, Waltham and Beckenham. The spend will focus on improving liveability, connectivity and safety.

The remaining $10m is being spent on various road safety and public transport infrastructure projects. Only $3.3m has been spent so far.

The projects are formally called Canterbury Regeneration Acceleration Facility (CRAF) projects. The current plan is to finish most in 2024 or 2025. Council staff said this was a ‘‘realistic’’ timeline.

But some councillors, as well as mayor Phil Mauger, are unhappy about that timeline, leading to a bid at this week’s council meeting to speed up CRAF projects at the expense of other planned works.

During the bid, council boss Dawn Baxendale warned that speeding up would only be possible if councillors ‘‘fundamentally change’’ next year’s council budget. The council’s transport budget for this financial year is set at $140m.

In future years, major projects are planned for Evans Pass Rd, Halswell Junction Rd, Godley Quay, Antigua St, and Lincoln Rd.

The $40m CRAF projects include providing pedestrian and cycle access to Te Aratai (Linwood) College, limiting speed in a large part of Richmond, and revamping Marine Pde in New Brighton.

New Brighton resident Filips Jansons said Marine Pde, particularly the footpath, had been in poor condition since the earthquakes.

But the CRAF projects will not be sped up. The idea was shot down in a 9-8 vote which showed that some candidates endorsed by Mauger will not always agree with him. Victoria Henstock and Tim Scandrett voted a different way to Mauger.

Scandrett said the suggestion of changing the timelines of other projects was really concerning.

‘‘I don’t know whose ward will be rephased . . . it’s a nice way of saying cut. It would be so wrong of me to put my ward in front of others.’’

Councillor Tyla Harrison-Hunt said he would not support ‘‘chopping and changing [the budget] to prioritise someone’s ward over another’’.

Staff knew what needed to be prioritised, as they were experts, he said.

Deputy mayor Pauline Cotter said it would not be long until CRAF projects were completed. Giving them ‘‘high priority’’ status would leave the council exposed to ‘‘guessing what might be rephased’’, she said.

‘‘It’s meddling in operations and management for us to be trying to push this through.’’

Councillor Yani Johanson put forward the bid, saying work on CRAF projects was far too slow.

‘‘These projects were supposed to be accelerated,’’ he said. ‘‘They were given special funding from central Government to deliver, and they actually need to be done as soon as possible.’’

Johanson had support from Mauger. The Government had provided $40m of ‘‘free money’’, Mauger said. ‘‘We seem to be just putting that to one side and not spending it.’’