Frustration is the word widely used about the range of major infrastucture problems facing the South Wairarapa community – a frustration which will continue unabated for several years and with no easy fixes in sight.
It follows, as many admit, at least a generation – 30 years – of neglect, delays, under-investment, inaction, poor or little planning, and/or lack of political will to address the issues involved. So ginger groups are sprouting up.
The Train Campaign by disgruntled train commuters over the badly-performing Wairarapa train service is the latest group to emerge seeking change, led by “ex-Wairarapa” train passenger Paul Rayner.
This campaign launch followed the recent Remutaka Road Action Group’s move which seeks a new and upgraded modern highway across or through the Remutakas to and from Wellington.
The www.dangerousroads.org website describes the current road as “very winding and treacherous” along its 31km length between Featherston and Upper Hutt.
On another infrastructure front, sewerage treatment and dispersal in all three South Wairarapa main towns has become a massive problem.
It is marked by overloaded and inadequate treatment plants, massively delayed maintenance and infrastructure upgrades, huge remediation costs –and battles over land dispersal of waste water being used as a replacement for river disposal of on-going overflows.
The responses of responsible officials?
Trains
“Greater Wellington regional councillors, Metlink, its rail operator Transdev Wellington and KiwiRail understand the frustration caused by recent delays on the Wairarapa Line, and we want to assure our passengers that we are committed to restoring the reliability of train services as soon as possible,” they said in a joint statement mid-May.
Yet some sections of 70-year-old track on the Wairarapa Line are still being replaced, as are signals systems and road/rail crossings. No new trains will be available before 2029, despite commuter and passenger demand. The most recent problem: lack of train(ed) staff to run the system.
Transdev, the operator, admits September 2025 is the earliest they will have staff to “support improved service stability” on the line – in a 13 May memo.
The Train Pain group’s slogan, “Get Wairarapa back on track,” gives no indication of the
timeframes involved.
Remutaka Hill Road
If “a new, modern highway connecting the Wairarapa with Wellington and the World” is to emerge, then the timeline is at least 30-40 years, according to those who know. Others say government won’t stump up with the investment needed for a second road link.
Ginger group “Remutaka Road Action Group” outlined the first steps in the process on their website.
“Roads of National Significance” (RoNS) are “listed in the National Land Transport Plan (NLTP) as prioritised for improvement, to support economic growth and productivity, reduce congestion, improve safety and resilience, and support housing development.”
To be included on the NLTP, a road must first be included in the Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) which sets the direction for transport in the region for the next 10 – 30 years.
Only maintenance of the existing Remutaka road is noted in the current RLTP. An investigation into a new route must get included in the next update to (even) get it on the radar.
The Minister of Transport is seen as unlikely to approve RoNS rating for the Remutaka Hill Road.
So far, only Masterton council has endorsed the group’s proposal, with SWDC to assess it shortly.
Local Waters
Drinking water, waste water (treated sewerage water) and flood waters all pose challenges which likely will see long-term (up to 100 years) debt is the only solution to a mountain of cost facing the district. And many other districts.
When and if the “Wai + T CCO” (the four councils controlling a new water infrastructure body – or Council Controlled Organisation) comes into focus, then a massive undertaking will confront it.
Estimates are that tens to hundreds of millions of dollars will be required to develop and upgrade systems already not coping with current capacity.
Waste water is the most urgent – and likely the most expensive programme waiting for significant action to be taken. Lack of capital has prevented major efforts to date.
SWDC’s most recent budget decisions took the lowest investment option ($6.05 million) to merely “operate and maintain” its water network – delaying all but the most critical repairs and replacements for future action.
District Roads
SWDC has 671 kilometers of roading (407km sealed) under its care – much of its upkeep subsidised up to 51% by NZTA/Waka Kotahi.
Then there are bridges, culverts, coastal access roads, urban and rural cycleways which need to be repaired or replaced. Thus, Waihenga Bridge over the Ruamahanga River, the main access leading to Martinborough, has been on an urgent list for replacement for 16 years. No action.
The Riddiford Bridge leading to Te Awhaiti Station has one of four piers sharding its concrete and steel and councillors are wrangling over whether to replace i t– or walk away – because of cost. It’s been there for 100 years or so.
In its latest statement on district roads, SWDC said (opaquely) it plans in the budget year ahead to: “fund the full Low Cost Low Risk roading improvements programme with an increased capital budget.”
Another document reveals an annual average spend of $6.65 million on roading, with “Renewals” costing 74% of that figure, which “reflects the need to keep up with the ageing infrastructure.”
Telling it like it is.
