Korokoro Environmental Group (KEG)
PETONE-GRENADA LINK ROAD
Korokoro Valley
Korokoro Valley with its pristine stream, steep sides covered in re-generating bush and flourishing bird life, is a valued regional asset to both residents and visitors. Fifty thousand people a year come to this southern entrance of Belmont Regional Park to walk, run, cycle, or simply to relax beside the stream. Young families, elderly people and also the not-so-fit can easily walk on the well-maintained track. There are plenty of quiet picnic spots along the way.
Ongoing Threat
For many years, Korokoro people have had to fight to protect the Korokoro Valley from destruction. Since 1994, regional and local councils plus TransitNZ have proposed a highway for heavy traffic between Grenada and Petone. Each time this issue has arisen, local people have worked hard to make sure residents and users of the valley are informed and consulted. We have also contacted politicians and council officers, made written and oral submissions to authorities to retain the Korokoro Valley and Catchment in its precious and natural stage. Since forming in 2001, KEG has taken the lead in these campaigns with great community and regional support.
Visit the TransitNZ / NZ Transport Agency website for more information.
View our 'Related Links' panel (right) for links to the "NZTA Ngauranga Triangle Strategy Study Technical Report" about the proposed road and route.
2011 - It's not over yet!
A road link has been proposed between SH1 at Grenada and SH2 at the Dowse Interchange as part of the Regional Land Strategy. While no route has yet been publically identified, Korokoro people have been assured by the mayors of Lower Hutt and Wellington that it will not impact on the Korokoro Valley. However KEG is concerned that should other routes not prove practical the Korokoro Valley will once again be the preferred option.
KEG's position
KEG believes that we do not need a road link - especially, in the current climate, which values public transport over new roads for private vehicles. Instead, we need to make better use of existing roads with improvements to SH2 and SH58. Improved public transport would also dispense with the need to destroy any more natural landscape.
Korokoro Valley now:
- A quiet valley with the sound of birdsong
- Pristine wilderness in much of the valley
- Bush covered, steep valley sides
- Clean stream, flourishing fish
Korokoro Valley with a road (either running through or nearby):
- Increased sound pollution
- Polluted stream and air
- Heavy traffic grinding up a steep slope
- Litter
- Contaminated spills
- Increased fire risk
2018 Update
KEG wrote to Minister Twyford in mid January 2018 following the release of a P2G Project Evaluation Report in September 2017. Following the Kaikoura and Wellington earthquakes the evaluation report looked at resilience and the expected costs, benefits and environmental impacts. The project evaluation queried the resilience of the preferred option and suggested that costs would be much higher than first anticipated. It also highlighted that the environmental impacts could be difficult to mitigate. Of considerable concern to KEG is that the report recommended consideration of discarded options including that of using the Korokoro Valley as a route.
KEG advocated that NZTA be steered towards more sustainable options. We said there were good alternative ways of improving connectivity and we called on the minister to replace the discredited approach of tackling congestion through increased roading with a strategy that focusses on intelligent public and haulage transport, improved facilities for cycling and walking and public planning to reduce car use across the region.